Whatcha Gonna Do?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 698

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, has the Olympic banner up as we are three games into the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Games already! Our hosts are back in the UMFM studios tonight where they'll be talking about the big tournament over in Italy among the discussion tonight as the latest version of the games becomes the first Winter Olympiad to be co-hosted by two cities! The women's hockey event is under, there were some U SPORTS people who made an impact, and more hockey chatter tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Obviously, the opening cermonies still have to come but, tonight on the program, Teebz and Jason will talk about the 2026 Winter Olympics and the results from the games today along with all the U SPORTS people involved in the women's hockey event. Beyond that, they also discuss Gavin McKenna's legal troubles from one dumb move, the reason for delaying the Canada-Finland game today and how that's affecting the men's team, a forgotten name signing a contract in the ECHL, the dissolution of the Washington Post's sports department, and the two stoat mascots above in Tina and Milo! There's lots to go over tonight as the biggest tournaments in men's and women's hockey get underway in Italy so be ready to roll tonight for The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The UMFM website's streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard! And because both Teebz and Jason are on the butterfly app where things are less noisy, you can find Teebz here and Jason here on Bluesky!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat big games, first wins, costly punches, food poisoning, alternate lodging, past goalies, voices lost, mascots found, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: February 5, 2026: Episode 698

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

TBC: Tales From The Bus Leagues

If you've ever had a chance to sit and chat with a professional hockey player in a less-formal setting, you know that all players have about a million stories from their careers they enjoy telling. Minor-league hockey players always seem to have more of the crazier stories thanks to there being less cameras and eyeballs on them, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to add another great read to the library that is all about one man's hockey experiences. Teebz's Book Club is proud to review Tales from the Bus Leagues, written and published by Jamie McKinven. This book is one hundred stories from Jamie's life where hockey was his only concern as he played in the NCAA, the ECHL, the CHL, and in Europe over the course of his career, and the end result is a book where I couldn't turn pages fast enough when it came to reading about these stops in his career!

Jamie McKinven's biography comes from his Queen's University page where he serves as the women's hockey assistant coach! That biography reads, "Jamie is in his 9th season as an Assistant Coach with the team where he specializes in working primarily with the defense and on defensive systems and tactics on top of individual skill development & data/analytics. A Kingston, Ontario native, McKinven played NCAA Division I hockey at Clarkson University, earning the Fran Narigan Award for excellence in academics, athletics, and humanitarianism in his senior year. Following his collegiate career, he played professionally in the ECHL, Central Hockey League, and Europe. After his playing career, McKinven served as Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development for the Kingston Voyageurs Jr. A Hockey Club and as a skill development specialist with FL Sports Inc. and McKinven Hockey Development & Consulting." It should also be noted that he's written three books about hockey including Tales from the Bus Leagues!

Tales from the Bus Leagues takes you through Jamie McKinven's career, starting in junior hockey in Ottawa to his university days in Potsdam, New York to playing in hockey hotbeds such as Shreveport, Amarillo, Augusta, and more! McKinven's experiences are documented along the way as he includes lessons learned in and around the game, pranks pulled and experienced, teammates that made his career memorable, and some of the more memorable events and people that make Tales from the Bus Leagues a funny and enjoyable read!

You might be asking who McKinven played with or against that you know, and there were some notable names who skated in the leagues he did. Former NHL defender Grant Clitsome is the victim of a McKinven prank in one story, former NHL centerman Craig Conroy rewards McKinven and his teammates for their hockey skills, and former NHL forward David Desharnais was an opponent at one point. McKinven tells the story of Mike Sgroi who might be the scariest man on skates, and he talks about fighting the much larger Joel Irving, a Montreal Canadiens prospect. Through it all, McKinven ensures the humourous look at his career continues in Tales from the Bus Leagues.

What kept me hooked into Tales from the Bus Leagues early on was McKinven's experience in Serbia. During his time over there, the former Yugoslavia had broken up and there were still remnants of the war that went on all around Belgrade where he was playing. Rather than focusing on the conditions in and around Belgrade, McKinven spoke of the culture and people with very high regard. He writes,

"Considering that Serbians have been living with the constant presence of war and conflict for centuries, it makes complete sense that they would be extremely proud people. Family, religion and deep-rooted cultural values are what have guided the Serbians through their darkest days. It's the foundation of their perserverance, something we, as Canadians, were lax and somewhat absentminded about. It wasn't that we didn't appreciate the importance of these values. It was more that we never had to rely on them for survival."

That's a profound statement from a guy who was there to play hockey, but his experiences there and the teammates he befriended in Belgrade were reminders that he was stranger in a foreign land. I appreciate his cultural perspective on his time in Serbia, and I'm glad he wrote about it with such clarity, honesty, and transparency.

There are a range of hilarious and entertaining stories in Tales from the Bus Leagues that include McKinven's experiences as a hockey player at The Masters, life as a university student-athlete, bus trips on two different continents, run-ins with coaches, and a pile of other stories that came from his career in the minor leagues. Some are admittedly childish in nature, but they're all part of Jamie McKinven's experience in being a minor-league professional hockey player!

Overall, Tales from the Bus Leagues is a fun read that should generate a smile during some of the stories thanks to the craziness in which McKinven and his teammates indulge. McKinven makes it clear that anyone who is a minor-league hockey player isn't playing for the money, and this is a lesson repeated in a number of the stories. What should be remembered, though, is that McKinven has had himself a lifetime of experiences doing what he loved, and it's easy to award Tales from the Bus Leagues the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval!

Tales from the Bus Leagues was released back in 2015, so you can likely find it on library shelves right now. I read the eBook version that is linked above, and it was easy to get into the book as it's funny, has short stories that last only a few pages at most, and is all about hockey. McKinven's stories occasionally contain some strong language, so it'd be recommended for older teens and adult hockey fans. However, Tales from the Bus Leagues is an excellent, fun read with great hockey stories, and it comes highly recommended!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

A League-Imposed Break

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 683

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

Tonight, Teebz and Jason will take a look at a new jersey that was unveiled this week by the Colorado Avalanche while asking a question that might make people uncomfortable. Beyond that, they'll examine the new jerseys for both PWHL Vancouver and Seattle, the Vancouver Canucks do something awesome, a Canadian Olympic hopeful was suspended in the NCAA, there was a big moment in Greensboro, our favorite ECHL team is on a roll, the Saskatchewan Huskies were adding notes to history books, we have a Hall-of-Fame guest joining us next week, and a Hall-of-Fame player finally got onto the ice this past week. In short, it was a busy week in the hockey world, so we'll break down all those stories and teasers tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The UMFM website's streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store. It's a solid app.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard! And because both Teebz and Jason are on the butterfly app where things are less noisy, you can find Teebz here and Jason here on Bluesky!

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

PODCAST: October 23, 2025: Episode 683

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 681

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back on the UMFM frequency tonight with a whole slate of hockey news to process and discuss. One involved a local team who seems to have a reputation in the league as not being able to keep key free agents, but it seems that team has no problem retaining its stars in an effort to win a Stanley Cup. While two other teams signed big players, all three retained players that should keep them in that hunt for hockey's top annual prize. Our hosts will jump into that worn-out hockey topic before getting into other hockey news from the past week tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

As teams were looking forward to some huge stars possibly being on the free agent market next season, Teebz and Jason will chat about the contracts signed by Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Kyle Connor when it comes to giving their current teams a shot at Stanley Cup glory and how the AAVs affect things moving forward. Beyond that, they'll also discuss the new alternate jersey for the Los Angeles Kings, the sponsorship patch placement on Utah's road jerseys, CBC making a big announcement for Canadian university hockey, the IIHF moving the Women's World Championship date and possibly setting hockey back by a decade or two, and there was already some stupidity in the early KHL season. In other words, there's a lot to discuss, the phone lines will be open, and the hockey chatter will be rolling on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The UMFM website's streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store. It's a solid app.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard! And because both Teebz and Jason are on the butterfly app where things are less noisy, you can find Teebz here and Jason here on Bluesky!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason talk new contracts, big stars, recycled jerseys, patch placement, greater exposure, stupid decisions, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: October 9, 2025: Episode 681

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Most Unnecessary Thing

If there's one thing in hockey that still brings people to their feet no matter what game it is, it's a hockey fight. I don't know what it is about seeing two combatants shed their gloves and helmets for some fisticuffs, but the crowd always responds to seeing this battle. On the flip side, one of the worst fights that can happen in a rink is a goalie fight thanks to neither player knowing much about throwing punches. Goalie fights are, thankfully, rare, though, so seeing one in a regular season game means that hockey is definitely back. Get ready to be disappointed by this display from Russia.

From the game that took place earlier today in Russia, Avangard Omsk was laying a beating on Admiral Vladivostok in the third period when the rough stuff started. After skirmishes where players conducted face washes while pushing and shoving, goaltenders Andrei Mishurov and Adam Huska decided to get in on the fisticuff action.
That fight was more unlanded punches thrown than it was a true fight, but Avangard's Mishurov threw a few haymakers that Admiral's Huska avoided. Huska did get a punch in that landed on the side of Mishurov's head before Mishurov threw a quick jab that connected, but there's your first goalie fight in the 2025-26 hockey season, folks.

What might be a weird twist on this fight is that Mishurov was Admiral Vladivostok's starting netminder last season before moving back to Avangard Omsk where he started his KHL career. The 24 year-old goalie racked up a career-high six penalty minutes in 2023-24, so he's just a minor penlaty away from setting a new career high. I don't think head coach Guy Boucher will want Mishurov fighting in any other games, but it's the KHL where everything is far from normal.

Huska, meanwhile, had a career-high of six minutes in the sin bin back in 2021-22 when he was with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack. Since jumping to the KHL in 2022-23, he's only picked up one minor penalty in three seasons, so this fight is completely out of the norm for him. That was pretty evident for how he handled himself in the fight, but Huska doesn't even take minor penalties so seeing him drop the glove and blocker was a new twist. However, I doubt he'll look for more.

Neither player was hurt, thankfully, as one never wants to see any player hurt in a fight, but a goalie fight is the most unnecessary thing in hockey simply due to all teams needing their best goalies stopping pucks, not throwing punches. Fights aside, Mishurov improved to 2-0-0 this season in the 6-1 win by Avangard while Huska fell to 3-3-3 with Admiral. Losing the fight and the game can't feel good for Huska.

Personally, goalies fights are dumb and completely unnecessary. I hope this is the last one we'll see this season, but a goalie fight on October 1 means that hockey season is officially upon us!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Tonight's "Game"

I had the NHL Network on as I drove home this evening, and hosts Steve Kouleas and Anthony Stewart were setting up the 4 Nations Face-Off game between Canada and the United States. There were a lot of useless stats and analysis spewed out over the air, but the setup hardly mattered. The SiriusXM network is based in the US so I expected a lot of US-slanted coverage from the two Canadians, but it seemed like the two men were almost pulling for the Americans. I'm not a conspiracy nerd so I shrugged it off, but, once the game started, it became very apparent that the NHL Network was broadcasting specifically for the American populace on this night. Let me explain this further.

The NBA Skills Competition was being held on Saturday evening, and we know that Gary Bettman measures his league against the NBA on a number of fronts including ratings and TV market share. Being that both All-Star Games have suffered ratings hits in recent years, there has been an effort to add gimmicky "skills" to the skills compeititon while modifying the format of the All-Star Game itself. It hasn't worked for either league very well, and that opened the door for Gary Bettman to pounce on a chance to crush the NBA with their 4 Nations Face-Off game scheduled for tonight.

Three fights in nine seconds to start the game was all the convincing I needed. This is an international tournament, but, with no IIHF rules hanging over their heads, the players were free to engage in all the violence and fighting they wanted since there would be no further punishment. After all, the NHL isn't going to punish them for the very thing that American viewers associate with the game, especially if it means more people tune in for the remaining 59:51 of the contest.

And then it hit me: Gary Bettman is the modern-day version of Damon Killian from The Running Man, played by Richard Dawson. Dawson's charater in The Running Man is 5'9", charismatic, and ruthless. Gary Bettman is 5'7", charismatic, and ruthless. The similarities are striking when it comes to these characters!

What stands out is the speech that Dawson gives as Killian to Arnold Schwarzenegger's Ben Richards in The Running Man. Watch below.
That film was released in 1987, and it's scary to think that screenwriter Steven E. de Souza wrote those words nearly forty years ago. Make no mistake that Richard Dawson was the perfect choice for the character of Damon Killian as he brought Killian to life in a way only he could, but de Souza's commentary on American life back then is eye-opening considering that none of what Killian said was written by Stephen King in The Running Man that was published in 1982.

In saying that, isn't Killian's 30-second speech the most catch-all description for the 4 Nations Face-Off? It's a competition between four nations who make up the largest cross-sections of the NHLPA players where the NHL is looking to capture ratings and figure out what ticket pricing works for future events. The theater was always going to be entertaining with the best players from those four nations playing, but adding in the violence and fighting in this specific game would allow the NHL to point at the ratings and celebrate like they hadn't for some time. After all, you didn't see Sweden and Finland scrapping it out in the earlier game, did you?

Did I mention this Canada-US game went head-to-head with the NBA Skills Competition on network TV while Finland-Sweden didn't?

And that's why these lines say so much:

"This is television, that's all it is. It's nothing to do with people, it's to do with the ratings. For fifty years, we've told them what to eat, what to drink, what to wear... for Christ's sake, Ben, don't you understand? Americans love television. They wean their kids on it. Listen. They love game shows, they love wrestling, they love sports and violence. So what do we do? We give 'em what they want!"

It's all about ratings and numbers to the NHL can sell the next television contract for more money. And if the IIHF isn't involved, the NHL can sell the skill and the violence, as opposed to just the skill, that its largest market - the US television viewer - loves so much. Yes, there are people in Canada who celebrate that as well, but the NHL doesn't worry about Canada's viewing numbers.

Gary Bettman could be Damon Killian with his dedication to ratings and American television numbers. Americans do love sports and violence, and it helps to explain the NFL, UFC, and the WWE during its "Attitude Era" as those sports and sports entertainment companies combine the best of both worlds. With the NHL opening that door tonight, they likely sold a few more tickets as the tournament moves to Boston, but they also likely earned more eyeballs for the next game from US viewers who want more of what was delivered tonight.

Look, I get that the NHL has to make money. I understand that's how capitalism works, and that the NHL is up to its neck into the world of capitalism. We were told that Canadians shouldn't boo the US anthem as these games were about unity and friendship, and yet the NHL will be quite proud of the ratings tonight's game brought with a pile of people focusing solely on the scraps. Yes, the hockey was probably good, but I didn't watch and I turned the radio broadcast off after the third fight because it's not what international games promote.

It's clear that I'm not the fan the NHL wants. I cannot afford $700 tickets to any hockey game. I cannot afford $295 USD jerseys. I cannot afford $52 t-shirts. As the NHL continues to raise prices on tickets and merchandise while abandoning the very heart of what international games are supposed to mean, it's very apparent that I'm no longer part of the demographic they seek when it comes to available entertainment and merchandise dollars.

If I can paraphrase another Damon Killian line from the film, he says, "Look, it is a contact sport, right? You cannot have it both ways. You want ratings. You want people in front of the television. Well, you're not gonna get that with re-runs of Gilligan's Island."

With the NHL saying one thing but promoting another about what the meaning of this tournament is, it's seems the unity and friendship part of the equation was left stranded with Gilligan on the island tonight. Gotta win those ratings, right, Killian, er, Bettman?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Handshake Tussle?

There was a bit of an interesting moment at the conclusion of a KHL game today. While there's always a winner and a loser thanks to the shootout, this one didn't need extra time or a skills competition, but it did need officials to ensure that scuffle during the handshakes didn't spiral out of control. Yes, you read that correctly - there was a dance during the friendly send-off between the two teams. What may be most surprising is that it was the two netminders who started the skirmish!

The game between Ak Bars Kazan and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod looked a little lopsided based on standings as Kazan came into the match sitting in second-place in the KHL's Eastern Conference while Novgorod sat in eighth-place in the Western Conference. 12 points separate the two teams, but Kazan has been the better defensive team all season as they're pushing for top spot in the East while posting a five-game win streak. Novgorod was looking to build on a two-game win streak entering today's game.

Things started off well for Novgorod as they grabbed a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes off an Evgeny Svechnikov goal. They added two more goals in the second period, and put two more goals on the scoreboard in the third period. Had it not been for a Dmitrij Jaškin goal with 5:02 to play, Torpedo likely would have seen goaltender Ivan Kulbakov pitch a shutout. Instead, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod downed Ak Bars Kazan by that 5-1 score as Kulbakov stopped 33 shots for the win. There were only 16 penalty minutes in this game, so it didn't appear that there was any bad blood between the two squads.

As the teams made their way through the handshake line, the two goalies met and had a bit of a conversation. I don't know what was said in the back-and-forth, but this is where the fun started!
Again, there's no reports on what was said between the two men that would cause a skirmish like it did, and the translation of the audio from the broadcasters was no help either. Perhaps there was some exchange about how Novgorod upset Kazan with the motioning towards the scoreboard, but it appears that Ak Bars Kazan netminder Amir Miftakhov started the party when he threw a shoulder into Torpedo netminder Ivan Kulbakov's chest.

The funny part of this is that no one in the handshake line was penalized for what went on, so it looks like it will be up to the KHL disciplinary committee to evaluate whether any further penalties are needed. I doubt there will be any penalties or suspensions handed out, but we could see a few fines if the KHL wanted to send a message to both teams. If you're wondering, Novgorod next plays on Thursday while Kazan is in action again on Friday.

Torpedo head coach Igor Larionov was asked about the handshake skirmish in the post-game press conference, and he answered, "The goalie fight after the game? I don't want to go into details, there was some kind of conflict between Miftakhov and Kulbakov. I asked Bocharov about it, he tried to separate them, and they pulled his jersey from behind. That's how it all started. These are emotions. It's unpleasant to lose, especially at home, so emotions sometimes [go] overboard."

Anvar Gatiyatulin, Ak Bars head coach. had a very brief answer about the scuffle, saying, "The clash between Miftakhov and Kulbakov? A tough match, emotions run high. We'll find out everything and tell the guys where to direct their emotions."

Based on the comments, it seems this dust-up was nothing but emotions running high. I don't know if that excuses either player from showing a little more sportsmanship in the handshake line, but that's pro hockey in Russia for you. I'll keep an eye on this situation to see if either player faces further discipline, but playing in the KHL might be punishment enough, right?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Banned In Canada

Say what you want about enforcers in the NHL, but the days where there was a legitimate heavyweight rumbler on a roster are long gone. While these guys were heroes to their fans, we know the toll it took on a lot of them thanks to science today that the NHL continues to deny. One of the guys who suffered before his tragic ending was Bob Probert who stood among the toughest hombres to ever wear skates and throw knuckles. For a time, though, he wasn't allowed to cross the border into Canada thanks to his repeated run-ins with the law, and that story made headlines on December 18, 1991 as Probert was left in Detroit by the Red Wings again while they travelled across Canada on a road trip!

The story, written by Corky Meinecke of Knight-Ridder Newspapers, was published in the Winnipeg Free Press on this day 33 years ago.

Of course, I'm not here to defend Probert's legal problems as he is responsible for the consequences of his actions. The fact that he was banned from crossing the border into Canada is one of those consequences, and he was finding ways to deal with the periods of time his teammates were playing hockey and he wasn't. However, it sounds like he was doing all he could in finding ways to join them on their treks through the Great White North.

As Probert told Meinecke, "I just don't understand why I ca't get a trial permit, why I just can't play a game and come right back. They could even escort me there and back. They keep telling me, 'We're getting closer.' But it's been three years."

In fact, as Meinecke wrote, it was three years and seven days from that point where the two spoke as the last game he had played in Canada came on December 10, 1988 in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. The Red Wings clobbered the Maple Leafs by an 8-2 score, and Bob Probert scored the opening goal of the game unassisted for his second marker of the season. It should be noted that Probert got five for fighting and two for instigating a fight with Toronto's Brian Curran at 9:39 of the second period, and he was given a ten-minute misconduct at 9:35 of the third period for attempting to injure a Leafs player. In short, it was a good day at the office for Probert.

For nearly four complete years, Probert was banned from playing in Canada as part of that ban saw him suspended by the NHL on March 4, 1989 before being reinstated by the league on March 9, 1990. He also spent three months in a correctional facility in Rochester, Minnesota and another three months in a rehabilitation center near Detroit. Those periods of time stemmed from his arrest in March 1989 where he attempted to smuggle cocaine into the United States in his underwear at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

On December 7, 1992, his fortunes changed as Probert's waiver request was granted by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service.

"Sufficient time has passed and Probert has demonstrated since his drug conviction that he has been properly rehabilitated," INS District Director James Montgomery said in a statement. "Over the last several years, since his conviction, he has not had any criminal misconduct. He has cooperated fully with the United States Department of Probation. He has cooperated fully with us and has made numerous speeches in the community in regard to speaking out against drugs and alcohol."

In a weird twist of fate, Probert's first game back in Canada would come in Toronto against the Maple Leafs on December 9, 1992. He was hardly a factor as Toronto scored five power-play goals en route to a 5-3 victory, but Probert did what he was known for as he scrapped with Wendel Clark at 2:32 of the third period before picking up a roughing penlaty at 10:18, a kneeing penalty at 19:17, and a second fighting major for that kneeing infraction after squaring off with Clark once more. 14 minutes in penalties in his return sounds like a very Bob Probert-like effort back in early December 1992.

Of course, we lost Bob Probert after he died of a heart attack on July 5, 2010. On September 25, 2010, Probert's family made the courageous decision to donate his brain to science as part of Boston University's Sports Legacy Institute where the effects of concussions and other sports-related head injuries are studied. It was found that Probert had been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition that the NHL has repeatedly denied any responsibility for and any link to the suffering some of their most feared warriors are facing.

For four years, though, teams in Canada could breathe a little easier knowing the Red Wings were visiting without one of the most feared players in the NHL on their roster. It's a shame that we lost him so prematurely after he worked his tail off being one of the most entertaining players of his time.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 638

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back in the studio and on the airwaves tonight as our hosts get into another week that was filled with crazy and head-shaking stories from the world of hockey. It isn't often you get a week where outdoor games are being proposed for tropical environments, line brawls are happening in piles of toys, and less people watching is a good business strategy, but it seems those stories are part of the news this week. We'll dive into a little of all of that and more tonight for The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

There might be a few moments where you'll have the same reaction as Gordon Ramsay as Teebz and Jason discuss the Canadian 2025 FISU University Games rosters for the men and women, Utah getting closer to a brand, two OHL teams scrapping as teddy bears flew, a player who will play in the Spengler Cup, a team potentially moving in the QMJHL, a Jagr update, the PWHL with an odd business strategy, and an outdoor game in a place where ice is only found in drinks. It another busy show with a lot to go over, so settle in with a beverage because we're going to move quickly tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The new UMFM website's online streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store. It's a solid app.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard! And because both Teebz and Jason are on the butterfly app where things are less noisy, you can find Teebz here and Jason here on Bluesky!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat international hockey, branding, brawling, moving, returning, cutting people off, playing under the sun, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: December 12, 2024: Episode 638

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 636

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, returns tonight with our hosts still not in the studio as Teebz is still criss-crossing the continent. That being said, the show tonight is happening on American Thanksgiving so there may be less US-based listeners than we normally get, but we do want to say Happy Thanksgiving! Of course, that means tomorrow is Black Friday which means the Christmas holiday season unofficially gets underway! We'll start with a new Christmas tune before getting into all the hockey news tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Perhaps there will be some in the United States who put The Hockey Show on while enjoying some turkey this evening, but Teebz and Jason tackle why U SPORTS can't do what junior hockey does for game experience, what Teebz has been up to on his travels, Paul Bissonnette's night out in Phoenix, Jim Montgomery winning and the Bruins still floundering, the New York Rangers making their roster available for the right price, Brandon gets some bad news, Hockey Canada prepares for the Spengler Cup, Gabriel Gagne's legal problems, and Hockey Canada letting U SPORTS down once again. It's a busy show with a number of topics covered, so make sure you're ready to go 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!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat about hockey experiences, scraps in parking lots, Boston's missteps, Rangers being available, the Wheat Kings refocusing, Hockey Canada news, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: November 28, 2024: Episode 636

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 605

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back tonight with a massive show as our hosts get you into the Pledge-O-Rama version of The Hockey Show! Not only will there be some prizes we're offering for people who pledge to our show during the hour we're on the air, but we're also welcoming a guest whose making history and smashing barriers before she's old enough to legally enjoy an adult beverage! We'll chat with her tonight as the 2024 Pledge-O-Rama version of The Hockey Show gets rolling at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason are proud to welcome the woman to the right that is making waves in the ECHL as we're joined by Fort Wayne Komets Media Assistant Fiona Quinn! Fiona's been keeping stats, helping with broadcasts, and rewriting record books - literally - for the past four years with the Komets, but she made a little history this past season when she stepped into the play-by-play chair to become the first woman to call a Komets game in their 72-year history! We have lots to go over with Fiona as she's seen goalie fights, goalie goals, Kelly Cup celebrations, and Indiana Tech hockey while she works towards her sports management degree at Indiana Tech, and we'll get her thoughts on who may win this year's Kelly Cup, ECHL additions and subtractions, Brett Brochu, the PWHL, future plans, and more! It should be an incredible chat with a woman who is making a name for herself at 19 years-old, and you can hear our interview with Fiona Quinn tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The new UMFM website's online streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store. It's a solid app.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat with Fiona Quinn, Fort Wayne Komets Media Assistant, about how she got started with the team, some major moments in Komets history, setting her own historic moment, everything else she's involved with in Fort Wayne, a pile of ECHL notes, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: April 25, 2024: Episode 605

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

There Is No Code

The man to the left is Ridly Greig. You likely heard about what Greig did tonight on every single sports highlight show, and every player, fan, coach, analyst, and clown on social media has submitted his or her opinion on whether what Greig did was disrespectful and the response to that move by Toronto's Morgan Rielly. Consider this my submission to the discussion because I'm the kind of person who would want Greig playing for my team if I could acquire him. Far too often, we're told how tough hockey players are when it comes to physical battery, but it seems that a vast number of players are as fragile as a wet tissue paper when it comes to understanding that what Greig did was fine and what Rielly did was not fine. Allow me to explain.

First, let's bring in the video of said play tonight.
Some have preached that Greig broke "the code" by disrespecting the Maple Leafs with that in-the-crease slapshot into an empty net, and the response by Rielly was suitable for "correcting" that disrespect. Others have stated that Greig did nothing wrong and that Rielly should be suspended anywhere from a game to the rest of his life for his actions. Many more have suggested a combination of both. I'm of the mindset that what Greig did was fine, what Rielly did was beyond wrong, and what Rielly should have done was something else if he felt compelled to send a message.

First, Greig's slapshop into an empty net doesn't matter how it goes in. No one was going to catch him, no one was going to block the shot, and there was virtually zero time left on the clock. Why does floating it in from the blue line make it better or worse than Greig's slapshot? Why does a slapshot from center ice get less anger than a slapshot a foot from the goal line? An empty net goal is an empty net goal - no one asks how it went it, and, frankly, no one cares.

Second, if Rielly didn't like the slapshot from inside the crease, maybe play better during the 59:55 of game play so you're not giving up an empty-net goal of any kind. Rielly can be frustrated with the game and how the Leafs played, but he cannot take it out on Greig like he did. If you don't like empty-net goals being scored on you, stop giving other teams that opportunity. To respond like he did, though, is one of the most cowardly acts you'll see in hockey, and it absolutely compares with the Dale Hunter hit on Pierre Turgeon for its cowardice in attacking an unsuspecting player.

Third, the crosscheck to the face should be an automatic five-game suspension, and I'd be looking at ten games if I were running the Department of Player Safety. That was one of the most unnecessary headshots that could be delivered, and Greig took to square on the jaw. He didn't have his hands up and he wasn't celebrating wildly, but I wouldn't have expected a carbon-fibre sandwich either. Because he assaulted Greig, throw the book at Rielly and make him an example.

Spare me your rhetoric about how he showed up the Maple Leafs as Craig Simpson suggested. Save the oxygen if you start talking about "The Code" because it doesn't extend to a guy scoring a meaningless goal with five seconds left in the game. There is nothing that says that Rielly has a right to try and decapitate a guy after he does something like that. If Rielly didn't like it, just drop the gloves and settle it. Greig could have prepared for that and been given a chance to answer for his perceived disrespect. Instead, Rielly chose violence with a weapon, and he should pay dearly for it.

Here's why I struggle with this "code" garbage argument: if he had pulled a "Michigan" (correctly identified as a "Bill Armstrong" goal) during the game and scored, would Rielly have reacted the same way? Which one shows up the team more - a meaningless one-foot clapbomb from the crease or a lacrosse-style goal past a netminder and with five defenders watching?

"Yeah, but the lacrosse goal takes a ton of skill, Teebz," I hear you saying, "while the clapper doesn't."

If the argument is a matter of skill, why didn't Shea Weber or Zdeno Chara have to duck swinging sticks after they unleashed a slapshot that found the back of the net? Their shots were harder and faster than the vast majority of NHL players, so that's a skill they possess, right? If you're going to make the skill argument, let's try not to split things into shades of gray. Skilled players have varying levels of skill, so they should all be targets for headshots by that rationale.

No one is saying that anyone has to like what Greig did, but the reaction from Rielly is the problem here. Being that's how he chose to correct what he saw as a problem, he and the Maple Leafs will be forced to deal with the consequences of those actions. If it's a long suspension given the nature of the infraction, that's the price Rielly and the Maple Leafs will have to pay for his delivery of his stick to Greig's face. There were unlimited better ways to have resolved the perceived disrespect that Greig apparently showed, but Rielly chose poorly and will now face the music for his stupidity.

Again, you don't have to like what Greig did, but it's not against the rules, it doesn't break any unwritten rules of a Neanderthalic code, and the goal counts the same as any other goal scored - empty net or not. if you wanted life breathed into the Battle of Ontario again, Greig just huffed and puffed and blew the house down with his actions, but it wasn't worthy of having his head taken off by a frustrated Leafs defender. That's just abhorrent.

My hope is that Ridly Greig is fine and may just end up with a bruise and/or a sore jaw. For Rielly, he better get himself a library card because he may be looking at an extrended break from the game. This was an ugly ending to a play that didn't matter squat to the overall result of the game, but someone's feelings were hurt and he chose violence to resolve that hurt that will now cost him salary and potentially points in the standings due to his absence.

Stop talking about "the code". It only applied to enforcers who had a job to do on the ice, and they knew the specific rules of when to fight, when not to fight, and how to navigate the rules of "the code". It has nothing to do with goals being scored, so stop trying to justify an argument for something that does not exist in hockey.

Simply put, there is no code for empty-net goals.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

A Goalie Fight And First

We've seen a lot of things in hockey in 2023 including a handful of goalie goals, but it's been a while since we featured a goalie fight. Let me be clear in saying that goalie fights should never happen as the goalies are usually pretty important players, but goalies throwing punches at one another is something that rarely happens due to the rulebook and the distance between the two players. When it does happen, though, it's one of those hockey moments that doesn't go unnoticed by the hockey world.

Tonight saw the Fort Wayne Koments playing the Indy Fire in an ECHL contest that really didn't seem like it had playoff implications with Indy being seven points back of Fort Wayne in the ECHL Western Conference standings with two teams in their division sitting between them. There's a local rivalry built in as the two teams sit close to one another in Indiana, so perhaps that played a role in tonight's encounter, but the final score was decidely in one team's favour.

With Indy leading 3-1 in the second period, Justin A. Cohn of The Journal Gazette described what unfolded late in the frame. He writes, "Fort Wayne defenseman Jake Johnson was dumped in front of the Fort Wayne net by Andrew Bellant, setting off a fracas in which Brochu shoved Kyle Maksimovich, who then sent him to the ice."

Let's take a peek at the video evidence.

Since YouTube flags all hockey fights as inappropriate content, this is the GIF of Indy's Scott Driscoll, formerly of the NCAA's UND Fighting Hawks, and Brett Brochu, formerly of the OHL's London Knights, awkwardly exchanging punches that land primarily on shoulder pads and backs. Clearly, this "fight" was less of a fight and more of a dance between the two goalies, but the good news is that neither was injured in the scrap despite punching pads. Both men were assessed a five-minute major for fighting and an additional two-minute minor for leaving the crease.

If you're asking why both goalies weren't ejected after their tussle, the ECHL confirmed to Cohn that goalies only get ejected for fighting if their scrap is the secondary altercation, and that wasn’t the case between Brochu and Driscoll. That means both netminders would return for the third period!

With that skirmish cleared up, the Fire would go on to win 5-2 over the Komets with Driscoll stopping 21 shots for the win. Not that this played into anything that had to do with the game, but Brett Brochu, who lost this game, had been named Fort Wayne's starter earlier in the day after the Komets traded François Brassard, the ECHL's 2021-22 Goaltender of the Year, to Maine earlier in the day. With Tyler Parks skating with AHL Bakersfield, it seems Brochu will be putting up a fight for the starting netminder's position once Parks returns!

You might be asking, "What about the 'first' you teased, Teebz?" based on the title of the article. Check out the photo below of Shane Albahrani, who normally calls Fort Wayne Komets games, standing beside 19 year-old Indiana Tech freshman Fiona Quinn!

This is a pretty incredible photo because Quinn - a graduate of Wayne New Tech at Wayne High School who has worked for the Komets for four seasons, namely handling statistics and assisting Albahrani - stepped into the play-by-play chair after Albahrani's voice had been left hoarse after battling a recent illness! For the first time in Fort Wayne's 72-year history, Fiona Quinn became the first woman to do the play-by-play for the Komets as she called this game on the WOWO and FloHockey broadcasts!

How cool is that? Personally, seeing her make the jump into professional hockey broadcasting at 19 with little play-by-play experience before that is awesome, and I hope she continues. How did she feel about her first professional hockey broadcast?

"I feel pretty content," she told Cohn after the game. "Still buzzing from the game but I'm ready to go back at it. So, so grateful for the opportunity and I'll improve from here."

There's nothing wrong with being humble about one's effort, but I thought Quinn did remarkably well. Like any good broadcaster, she seems intent on improving, and that's the kind of effort one wants to see when it comes to calling games. She did have previous experience on-air as the Komets' colour commentator, and she has called high school hockey games prior to tonight's debut. However, the best person to ask about her first call may be Shane Albahrani as the veteran broadcaster has years of experience from which he can reflect on Quinn's call.

"Fiona did fantastic," Albahrani said. "So unbelievably proud of her. I'm amazed at her drive, energy and knowledge. It's a tough position for even a seasoned broadcaster to get the call with only a few hours notice, plus travel. But she handled it like a true pro. I was honored to be able to share the booth and her moment tonight."

That might be the biggest honour she can receive as it sounds like Albahrani was speaking about his own daughter with his glowing review. My hope is that Fiona Quinn continues to be a part of the Komets' broadcasts moving forward. There is no limit on where she can go from here with her abilities in calling games, doing stats, and her experience in being a colour commentator, but there's still that school path she may want to follow at Indiana Tech as well. In short, the world better keep an eye on Fiona Quinn!

While the loss doesn't help them in the standings, the Fort Wayne Komets found two memorable ways to cap off their 2023: a goalie fight, and a broadcast debut from a young woman who appears to be on the rise on their broadcasts!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 569

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, fills the airwaves and internet streams tonight with some hockey goodness as Jason's back, Teebz is gearing up, and we have a number of stories to discuss. After the incredible interview given by Carla MacLeod last week, it might seem like the show lost a little of its gusto, but there have been a pile of stories from all sorts of places in the hockey world that do need a little discussing. Whether it be Edmonton, Denver, Sunrise, Raleigh, Moscow, Rockford, Prague, or Ostrava, there will be a number of cities, teams, and places mentioned tonight on the program, and we'll bring you all the news, stories, and more at 5:30pm CT!

I'll be honest: there are no Philadelphia Flyers stories today. I just find Stormtroopers being Flyers fans funny. In any case, Teebz and Jason will break down the new deal for the Carolina Hurricanes that sees them get rewarded for spending money, the IIHF's ruling in the Ivan Fedotov case, the Florida Panthers holding theme nights with one specific night on the calendar, the Coyotes eying another potential arena spot, the QMJHL banning fighting, Union College changing its name, the 2024 IIHF World Championship costs if you want to attend, NHL '24 getting a new cover athlete, a very odd Jason Gregor clip about a new sports station in Edmonton, U SPORTS signings and news, and whatever else we can squeeze into the hour. Busy? You betcha, so make sure The Force is with you as you tune into 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 is pretty awesome 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 use the TuneIn app, you won't be disappointed. It's a solid app.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat about spending money, stiff penalties, theme nights, new homes, zero brawling, new names, costly games, radio misogyny, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: August 17, 2023: Episode 569

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Monumental Shift

We've known for a few years that the QMJHL has been under pressure from the Quebec government to remove fighting from the junior circuit. While the frequency of fights has been traditionally falling each year over the last decade as teams and players put a higher value on hockey skills rather than fighting skills, there still was the occasional skirmish last season that happened. In a game played with both physicality and emotion, that's not unexpected, but it seems the QMJHL will make players think twice about dropping the gloves this season as they've gone ahead and banned fighting in all QMJHL games. Before we go any further, spare me your outrage because this decision was inevitable.

QMJHL Commissioner Mario Cecchini revealed the new safety measures in June with the QMJHL making them official via a vote by the Board of Governors on Thursday. As a result, fighting will no longer be allowed in games with the punishment for fighting to be far more punitive than ever before. The new regulations on fighting can be found on Page 21 of the QMJHL Safety Regulations document, and it reads as follows:

"Rule 47 of the Playing Rules, starting with the 2023-2024 season, provides for fights being prohibited with more restrictive and dissuasive sanctions in order to emphasize a safe quality of play conducive to the development of players participating in QMJHL activities."

That seems very straightforward in its wording, but fighting was never condoned in any league prior to this new decision so you may be wondering how this changes anything. It's not so much that fighting has been banned, but it's the penalties for fighting that will make it far harder to justify or rationalize in games moving forward. The new rules include:

• As soon as a fight occurs, those engaged must be systematically ejected from the game.
• Any player found to have instigated the fight will also receive an automatic one-game suspension.
• The person declared to be the aggressor during the fight will receive a minimum of two automatic games of suspension.
• In addition to the game misconduct, an automatic game suspension is imposed starting with the player's 2nd fight of the season. This suspension is in addition to the sanctions described in the preceding paragraphs.

These rules are, again, pretty straightforward when it comes to their purposes, and all of the above rules should discourage players from fighting if they hope to catch the eyes of scouts. While there could still be a fight that breaks out thanks to physical play and emotions, what the QMJHL is looking to do is remove the staged fights, the retaliatory fights, and a general brawling mentality in order to ensure that players are best protected from injuries like concussions and CTE. In short, this should make for better hockey games that show skills and abilities, not intimidation and brawls.

While the OHL and WHL both have rules to discourage fighting, the QMJHL rules are the mist punitive of the three CHL leagues at this point. With the frequency of fights in the QMJHL clocked in at an average of 0.14 per game last season, there were already very few fights happening. These new rules will likely ensure that number drops again for 2023-24 as suspensions are never something players want when competing for scouts' eyes and potential professional roster spots. We also know a large number of QMJHL players move on to to U SPORTS where fighting is banned, so suspended players usually have a harder time being recruiting as well.

Scouting aside, players that are between the ages of 16 and 20 certainly shouldn't miss time for unnecessary injuries caused by fighting. One can claim that there are less injuries than what we see in games with fights, but the fact that people are still getting injured IN FIGHTS is part of the problem here. The WHL banned players from removing their helmets in order to make players think twice about punching a helmet, so preventative measures do work. The fact that the QMJHL has now outlawed fighting should reduce injuries as well. Yes, you might be right in this measure not being a significant dent in those number, but any decrease is better for the game itself.

With Ken Dryden turning 76 on Tuesday, I thought I'd bring up a study done by Columbia University about enforcers and their lives following the game. The question posed by researchers was simple: do NHL enforcers with more career fights or penalty minutes differ in mortality rates or cause of death when compared with control NHL players? They defined an enforcer with 50 or more fights with a player of comparable size and position on the ice, and used those controls to look at the mortality rate of 6039 NHL players.

While 90% of the players in the study are still alive (thankfully), what they found is that "NHL enforcers died at similar rates but approximately 10 years earlier when compared with NHL controls" and that "the causes of death in the 21 enforcers included neurodegenerative disorders, drug overdose, suicide, and motor vehicle crashes, whereas only 1 of the 24 age-matched controls died of any of these causes (motor vehicle crash)". In short, repeated fighting does significant long-term damage to players far beyond their playing days.

The above paragraph shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has followed the game over the last two decades. Jeremy Allingham's book, Major Misconduct, follows three former hockey players in James McEwen, Stephen Peat, and Dale Purinton as he demonstrates the lasting effects of their careers built on physical play and fighting, but James McEwen's story likely resonates best since his career saw him skate at the minor-pro level only. Since retiring, he's received help and done some personal reflection, and now advocates for removing fighting from the game.

The QMJHL is very aware their new measures will not stop all fights from happening, but, as they do in other sports, those who fight will face tougher penalties for choosing to settle their differences in that manner than ever before. I have yet to hear any hockey fan complain about the lack of fighting in the playoffs, the Olympics, or the World Junior Championships, yet everyone watches those events like it's a mandatory activity.

Before you jump on me by saying that no one is handing out gold medals in the regular season, I get that point. In my view, the regular seasons for most sports go on way too long, but it's during the season where these players are scouted, analyzed, and potentially promoted within the higher levels of hockey. Having players miss games because "fighting is a part of hockey" is a dumb way to limit one's potential earnings and career in hockey.

You're welcome to disagree with me. You're welcome to call me "soft" or "snowflake" or whatever term you'd like when it comes to my stance on junior hockey, but teenagers shouldn't be fighting one another for any reason in a hockey game. If you're opinion differs, I'd ask that you wear gloves for the knuckle-dragging you do because this game is evolving every year to be better, faster, and more talented. And that evolution isn't stopping because players like Crosby, MacKinnon, Ehlers, and Hischier - all QMJHL guys! - fill seats in rinks across the continent.

Personally, I want to watch the best hockey possible where I'm wowed by the skill shown on the ice when it comes to dangling, scoring, and deking. The enforcer role is dead thanks to skill taking over, and I'm thankful that the QMJHL is emphasizing skill and speed over fists and thuggery. Hockey, as a game, will be better off for this stance, and I can only hope other leagues begin to crack down on fighting with some severe penalties as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!