After repeated attempts to pry the player away from the Minnesota Wild, the Pittsburgh Penguins can finally claim they've been Zucker-burghed as the Penguins acquired 28 year-old Jaosn Zucker from the Wild in exchange for underperforming Alex Galchenyuk, prospect defenceman Calen Addison, and a conditional 2020 first-round draft pick. After offering up Phil Kessel in the summer, it seems odd that the player the Penguins got in return for Kessel's move to Arizona - Galchenyuk - is the player going to Minnesota, so I guess Pittsburgh got what they wanted in the end for the same asset they were willing to trade months ago. In any case, expect the Penguins to be better with Zucker on the wing than they were with Galchenyuk to this point.
The conditional pick could see the 2020 pick become a 2021 pick if the Penguins were to miss the playoffs, but that scenario seems highly unlikely considering the Penguins' current standing and the addition of a player who will contribute to the overall success of the team. While the salary exchange between the two teams was nearly equal, the Wild will get the freedom that comes with Galchenuyk's expiring contract after this season, freeing up $4.9 million in cap space annually. Zucker, comparably, has three more years at $5.5 million that the Penguins will need to add into their plans moving forward.
Perhaps more important than the cap space for the Wild are the other pieces as they add a first-round pick to the mix this season while acquiring the Penguins' second-round pick from last season in highly-touted defenceman Calen Addison. Addison was a solid player at the 2020 World Junior Championship this season where he had nine points in seven games with Team Canada, and his work on the Lethbridge Hurricanes' blue line has been exceptionally good with ten goals and 33 assists in 39 games thus far. For a team that has discussed the possibility of moving Matt Dumba, Addison might be the player who could replace Dumba's offensive capabilities in the Wild lineup if he is moved.
While the future looks bright for the Wild in what they reaped in return for Zucker, it seems the Penguins are going to squeeze every last drop of compete out of their aging core in one or two more playoff runs. Crosby, Malkin, Letang, and, when he returns from injury, Guentzel should be helped by the speed and scoring that Zucker has shown in the past. He goes into high-traffic areas, and his defensive awareness is fairly high. All in all, getting Zucker after chasing after him for months finally feels like closure after the Wild flirted with trading him to the Penguins for a while. General manager Jim Rutherford finally got his man, and we'll see how Zucker fares in the Steel City alongside some very competent and skilled centermen.
Among one of the intangibles that comes with acquiring Zucker is the acquisition of his amazing wife, Carly, who gave her time to so many community and charitable causes in and around St. Paul. Carly and Jason were heavily involved in a lot of Minnesota Wild initiatives, and I suspect they'll continue on with those efforts as a part of the Penguins organization as they look to endear themselves to the fans in their new city. While there may some details to work out before Carly can officially move to Pittsburgh, I would suspect she'll be making an impact alongside Jason in the Pittsburgh community sooner than later. Getting Carly as part of the trade only makes the Penguins better off the ice as much as it does on it.
If one was grading this trade in terms of a winner and loser, I'm not sure there is a loser here as the Wild are looking to retool their roster and need to shed cap hits and get younger to do so while Pittsburgh is still in win-now mode and believes that Zucker is a piece that will help them achieve that. If both teams are happy with the return they received and both seem to have achieved what they desired in making the trade, wouldn't both teams be considered winners based on what they were seeking?
As a fan of the Penguins, I'm not excited about giving up Addison, but Jason Zucker is an intriguing piece who is signed long-term and will help the team. The jury will be out on whether this is a good trade, a bad trade, or a steal for the Penguins based on the results over the next year or two, but I like the deal as a fan and I'm excited to see what Zucker can do in the 'Burgh.
The six teams who will take part in the Canada West playoffs were already known, but who finished where was still up in the air. Alberta, Calgary, and Saskatchewan were battling for the top-three spots in the conference with the teams who finished ahead of the other earning first-round byes. Regina, Mount Royal, and UBC were trying to decide which team wanted to host one of the other two while the third team would travel to meet either Calgary or Saskatchewan. Lethbridge and Manitoba were playing the roles of spoiler this week as they cannot make the playoffs. Let's see who finished where as we get set for the Canada West playoffs on The Rundown!
Calgary had a shot at first-place overall in the conference with two regulation wins over Lethbridge this weekend, but they needed some help from Manitoba as well. Otherwise, they had to match whatever Saskatchewan did in order to stay one point ahead of the Huskies. Lethbridge, meanwhile, was looking to finish strong while derailing Calgary's plans at a first-round bye. Kelsey Roberts got the start for Calgary while Alicia Anderson was in net for the Pronghorns.
This game started with great pace as the two teams went up and down the ice looking for chances. Luckily for the goalies, the defences came to play, limiting shots to initial chances without rebounds on most of the rushes. We'd see our first goal late in the period as Annaliese Meier won a puck battle along the left half-bounds, chipping the puck forward where Chelsea Court picked it up. She circled the net looking for a centering pass, spotting Brooke Dennett after a bad switch by the Pronghorns defenders, and Dennett wristed the puck glove-side past Anderson at 17:02 to put Calgary up 1-0! 1:52 later with Lethbridge on the power-play, Mila Verbicky tried to set up Alli Borrow in front of the Calgary net, but the puck went off a defender to the far side where Madison Porter streaked in and chipped the puck past Roberts to make it 1-1! We'd go to the break with that score intact and Calgary holding an 8-7 margin in shots.
Early in the second period, Calgary would use a power-play of their own to regain the lead. A puck battle along the half-boards on the right side was won by Lethbridge, but the scrum saw the puck pop loose to Trechelle Bunn who used a defender as a screen as she tore a shot through her check's legs and high on Anderson's glove side for the power-play marker at 2:22 and the 2-1 Dinos lead! Calgary continued to pour on the offence throughout this period as they took over, but Anderson was just as good as she did her part in preventing the Pronghorns from pulling away in this game. The few shots that Kelsey Roberts did face didn't cause any harm for the Dinos, and we'd go into the intermissions with Calgary leading 2-1 on the scoreboard and 23-12 in shots.
The third period saw the Pronghorns come to life once more as they were looking to ruin Calgary's night, but the early chances they had were denied by Roberts. Those saves proud fortuitous when a Lethbridge clearing attempt was stopped at the line by Dana Wood who got the puck to Taylor Beck, and Beck fed Sara Craven in the left face-off circle who cut to the middle and backhanded a shot high over Anderson's glove as the netminder went down to make it 3-1 at 8:04! With three minutes left in the game and Calgary on the power-play, Craven's point shot was stopped by Anderson, but Sage Desjardins fought through a check out front to chip the rebound high glove-side on Anderson to make it 4-1 with 2:52 to play as the Dinos seemed to have the book on Anderson by scoring four times on her glove side. When the final horn sounded in Lethbridge, the Dinos were halfway to their goal with the 4-1 win. Kelsey Roberts stopped 19 shots for her 15th win of the season while Anderson absorbed the loss despite making 29 saves.
Highlights of this game are below!
The series would revert to Calgary for the final game of the regular season for both teams. Calgary still needed a win in their effort to catch Alberta, and six points would prevent Saskatchewan from catching the Dinos. Lethbridge was looking to spoil the party once more. Alicia Anderson would make her final start in Canada West play for Lethbridge while Calgary went with Kelsey Roberts as they needed the victory.
The first period saw the teams trade chances, but neither would find twine with pucks sent towards the net. Lethbridge did direct more pucks on the Calgary net than Calgary did on Lethbridge's net, but Roberts was good on a couple of great chances to keep this game tied at 0-0 through one period of play with the Pronghorns up 8-5 in shots.
The second period would see the Dinos come to life as they began to pepper Anderson with shots. However, Eryn Johansen would carry the puck down the right wing and cut to the net where Roberts stopped her drive to the front of the net. Madison Porter whacked at the rebound that Roberts couldn't cover, and Kianna Dietz would finally poke it by Roberts on the third attempt at 6:20 to put the Pronghorns up 1-0! 1:45 later, though, we'd find this game tied once again Elizabeth Lang was the recipient of a backdoor pass from Chelsea Court on the power-play, and Lang made no mistake in burying the puck into the undefended left side of the net to tie the game at 1-1! Calgary wouldn't let up for the remainder of the period, but Anderson was outstanding in keeping this game tied. At the end of 40 minutes, the 1-1 score would hold, but Calgary owned a 21-11 advantage in shots.
The third period saw that Calgary momentum continue as they continued to pound the Lethbridge net with shots. Four minutes into the period, Erin Armstrong's shot from the point went wide on the right side, but the carom came out to Sage Desjardins on the left side, and she sniped a shot under Anderson as she slid across and couldn't close the five-hole at 4:33 to put the Dinos up 2-1! With the onslaught continuing on Anderson, Lethbridge was trying to find an equalizer, but it simply wasn't going to happen with how aggressive the Dinos were on this night. With 51 seconds remaining, Taylor Beck flipped a backhander over a diving Pronghorns defender into the empty net to ice the game at 3-1 as Calgary earned the three points from the Pronghorns. Kelsey Roberts picked up hr 16th win of the season after making 14 saves while Alicia Anderson would lose her final game despite deserving a better fate in her 32-save performance.
Highlights of this game are below!
There was one storyline in this series as Alberta simply needed one point against the last-place Bisons to clinch first-place and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. After hammering the Bisons at Clare Drake Arena earlier this season, there was hope the Bisons could slow up the Pandas on their way to the playoffs. Halle Oswald was in the Pandas' net to get this game started while Erin Fargey was handed the assignment for the Bisons.
It didn't take long for the Bisons to find their skating legs as they came out and pressured the Pandas early in this game. That would pay off when Halle Edwards checked a Pandas defender, allowing Jordy Zacharias to pick up the loose puck in the slot, pass it to Kate Gregoire, and Gregoire slid her shot under Oswald at 3:08 to put the Bisons up 1-0! This period went by pretty quickly with few stoppages, no penalties, and just the one reset at center ice as the Bisons made their way into the intermission with the one-goal lead and the shots sitting at six apiece.
The second period saw Manitoba to continue to press the Pandas, but the Pandas would use their top-ranked power-play to pull even. Midway through the frame, Madison Willan hit Autumn MacDougall with a pass, and MacDougall made a great cross-ice pass to Kennedy Ganser who was on the backdoor, allowing Ganser to chip the puck past Fargey who couldn't get across fast enough as the Pandas pulled even at 1-1 at 12:13! The goal, however, didn't deter the Bisons as they stuck to their game plan in keeping the pressure on the Pandas. While it wouldn't result in any further goals in the second period, the Bisons had to be happy to be tied 1-1 with the Pandas through 40 minutes with the Pandas leading 18-15 in shots.
Manitoba continued to serve up pressure on the Pandas as the plan seemed to be working, and this up-tempo game helped them set up their second goal at the period's midpoint. Chloe Snaith sent the puck out of the Manitoba zone to Jordy Zacharias after Manitoba gained possession in their own zone, and Zacharias left Kiara Machry in her rearview mirror as she sped down the ice on a 2-on-1 with Kate Gregoire. The remaining defender tried to play Zacharias, but she sent the pass across to Gregoire who fired a puck inside the near post that Oswald had vacated as she slid across, and the Bisons were up 2-1 at the 10:00 mark! The Pandas would turn the heat up on the Bisons for the next few minutes, but Jordy Zacharias would find some room as the Pandas retreated to dump the puck from the blue line into the empty net that Oswald had vacated to make it 3-1. A late power-play goal by Ganser off a nifty pass from Willan with 41 seconds remaining made it a 3-2 game, but the Pandas could not find the equalizer after that as the Manitoba Bisons shock the fifth-ranked team in the nation in the Alberta Pandas with the 3-2 final! Erin Fargey was solid in her 24-save performance to pick up her sixth win of the campaign while Halle Oswald stopped 23 shots in the loss.
Highlights of this one are below!
SATURDAY: There had been rumours that had the Pandas won on Friday, Sydney McCluskey was going to start on Saturday. However, with the Pandas still needing that all-important one point, head coach Howie Draper opted for his ace in today's game. With it being her last game, the Bisons went with their graduating goaltender in their crease as this game only mattered for that single point. In saying that, Kirsten Chamberlin got the start for the Pandas while Amanda Schubert got her final start at the Canada West level in today's game.
While the Bisons appeared to start this game with the same plan as the night before, it was clear that whatever coach Draper had said to his squad put them in a business-like attitude as they not only matched Manitoba's pace, but had them back on their heels at times. An early power-play saw that lethal player-advantage unit step onto the ice and strike once more as Danielle Hardy's initial shot was stopped by Schubert, but the rebound came out to the slot area as Schubert lost sight of it, allowing Abby Benning to bank the puck in off Schubert's pad as she tried to recover at 4:33 of the opening frame as the Pandas went up by a goal. 14 seconds later, it became a two-goal lead when Cayle Dillon's shot from the point was tipped down by Madison Willan, allowing the puck to skip over the pad of Schubert for the 2-0 lead! The Pandas would continue pressing all period long, but the Bisons' defence and Schubert would settle things down after that early goal outburst by the Pandas. The unfortunate part is that the Pandas used that aggressive play to also stifle the Bisons' attack as the Pandas took that 2-0 lead into the intermission after having outshot the Bisons 13-3 in the period.
The second period was a tale of two periods as the Pandas started the frame strong similar to how they ended the first period followed by Manitoba pulling up their socks and coming back at the Pandas in the second-half of the period. Chances were had at both ends as the teams looked for goals, but both Chamberlin and Schubert were good in the creases as they kept all pucks from getting into the cages behind them. The 2-0 score would hold in favour of the Pandas as we moved to third period with Alberta leading 20-10 in shots.
The third period felt like the second did as both teams looked for chances only to be denied by the opposition netminder while the defences took care of the rest. An Alberta penalty midway through the frame saw the Pandas strike as Regan Wright tore up the ice to recover a puck banked off the boards by Chloe Snaith, and Wright's shot would be stopped by Schubert's left pad but her backwards momentum carried the puck under her and into the net as Wright gets credit for the shorthanded marker and the 3-0 lead at 11:16! On the same power-play and with nothing to lose, head coach Jon Rempel opted to pull Schubert for a 6-on-4 opportunity, but an errant pass went off Molly Kunnas' skate, Autumn MacDougall grabbed the loose puck, and she'd loft it into the yawning cage for the shorthanded, empty-net goal at 12:02. And in a move that likely should have happened after the Wright goal, Howie Draper did pull Chamberlin with 5:31 to go, allowing Sydney McCluskey some time in the Pandas' net before the season ended. Her five minutes saw her make a few saves, but the Bisons couldn't solve any of the Pandas' netminders on this night as Alberta skated to the 4-0 victory. Kirsten Chamberlin picked up her 11th win of the season while unselfishly sacrificing her own shutout in her 14-save effort over 54:29 of work while Amanda Schubert's Canada West career came to a close with a 25-save night despite the loss to the Pandas. For the record, Sydney McCluskey was three-for-three on stops in her 5:31 of work!
Highlights of this game are below!
The Thunderbirds travelled to Calgary to play the Mount Royal Cougars where they were looking to try and move up the standings in the hopes of hosting one of Regina or Mount Royal. Mount Royal had the same plan as the T-Birds as these two teams met on the final weekend tied at 34 points and one point back of the Regina Cougars. The only thing that mattered for both teams were wins on this weekend. Tory Micklash was in the UBC net on this night while the Cougars opted to start their rookie sensation in Kaitlyn Ross.
The first period saw both teams play a little tentatively in the opening frame as neither side was willing to give up the first goal. Midway through the frame, Tianna Ko looked like she was going to break the goose egg, but Tory Micklash made an outstanding save to deny the Cougars from taking the lead. There were a couple of other chances at both ends, but Micklash and Ross preferred to keep their perfection intact as the period closed with the score tied at 0-0 and Mount Royal leading 8-5 in shots.
The second period felt a lot like the first period did with the only difference being the two power-plays that each side received. That allowed for more shots, but it also meant there were more saves as both Micklash and Ross had no interest in goals being scored behind them. For a pair of teams needing wins, finding a single goal might be all that would be needed on this night as the game remained tied at 0-0 through 40 minutes despite MRU holding a 17-11 edge in shots.
The third period got underway with both teams looking for victory, and a turnover at the UBC blue line would be the catalyst for the first goal. Mikayla Ogrodniczuk tried to throw a puck to her teammates from the right half-boards through the middle, but the puck was picked off by Anna Purschke who had all sorts of open space to head-fake Micklash to freeze her and sweep it by her pad on the forehand to make it 1-0 for the Cougars at 6:53! Six minutes later, the Cougars would double their lead on the power-play when Kate Hufnagel hit Emma Bergesen who came off the bench, and Bergesen fired a laser to the top corner glove-side on Micklash for the power-play marker at 13:50 and the 2-0 lead! Late in the third period with the net empty, UBC won an offensive zone face-off back to Rylind MacKinnon who fed Mackenzie Kordic on the left side for the one-timer, and her blast went off Laura Cook in front and past Ross for the goal to give UBC life with 1:11 to play! Despite bringing all sorts of pressure in the final minute, the T-Birds could not find another goal as the Mount Royal Cougars win a big game by a 2-1 score over the Thunderbirds. Kaitlyn Ross earned her seventh win of the season with a 17-save effort while Tory Micklash suffered the loss despite making 24 saves on this night.
Highlights of this game are below!
SATURDAY: Mount Royal was looking to keep themselves rolling into the playoffs with another win while UBC needed a victory to have a shot at fifth-place after learning that a tie with Mount Royal would do nothing with the Cougars holding the tie-breaker. In order for them to get fifth-place, they'd have to win while hoping that Saskatchewan beat the Regina Cougars, so wins were still important for both teams in this game! We'd see a rematch from the previous night as Tory Micklash and Kaitlyn Ross stood 200-feet apart on the ice tonight.
The teams certainly played more cautiously compared to how they finished the game one night earlier as chances were few and far between for the two clubs. While both had a power-play opportunity in the first period, neither would capitalize in a fairly quiet period. After 20 minutes, the score remained 0-0 with the teams tied in shots at 5-5.
The second period saw UBC play with much more aggression, but that had a yin and yang to it as they generated more shots, but also found themselves serving more penalties. Their first penalty before the six-minute mark would prove costly when Daria O'Neill's one-timer from the right point was deflected in front and floated into the top corner on the blocker side past Micklash before she could locate the deflected puck, and Mount Royal was up 1-0 at 6:30! The Cougars would kill off a penalty midway through the period, but there were few chances seen in the second-half of the frame as the Cougars went into the second intermission with the one-goal lead, but UBC held the 11-7 advantage in shots.
The third period saw Mount Royal increase their presence in the penalty box by taking three minor penalties in the frame, but the penalty-killing units were preventing shots from finding Ross or the net while shorthanded. The one penalty assessed to UBC? It cost them as Anna Purschke deflected the Emma Bergesen point shot past Micklash at 14:19 for the power-play goal and the 2-0 MRU lead! UBC just couldn't get pucks to the net through the remainder of the game, and Mount Royal would end their regular season with a 2-0 victory over the Thunderbirds. Kaitlyn Ross picked up her eighth win and fourth shutout of the season with a perfect 14-for-14 effort in saves while Tory Micklash took her second-straight loss after making 12 saves.
Highlights are below!
Regina, with wins, still had a chance to control their own fate. Depending on what happened elsewhere, they could end up anywhere between fourth- and sixth-place based on their results against their provincial rivals, so they were hunting for wins and points. Saskatchewan had a shot at second-place, but would finish no worse than third-place this season. Jessica Vance got the nod for the Huskies while Jane Kish was in the net for the Cougars.
The first period was pretty reserved with two penalties that all but cancelled one another out in the middle of the frame before Saskatchewan had a full advantage late, but they generated no goals on that sequence. A rather quiet period would end with the score tied at 0-0 and the teams tied in shots at 5-5.
The parade to the penalty box for both teams continued in the second period as the Cougars were granted some extended power-play time with nothing to show for it before Saskatchewan got the same extended opportunity with the same results. Late in the period, though, Jenna Merk beat Vance to put the Cougars up 1-0 at 15:22! That goal would stand into the intermission with Regina up 13-12 in shots.
Regina survived an early penalty call to maintain their one-goal lead, but that luck would run out when Sophie Shirley found herself on a breakaway, beating Jane Kish with her shot at 9:55 to tie the game at 1-1! Regina would be called for another penalty, but they weathered the storm to survive. The clock ticked down to the final horn with the Huskies and Cougars still tied at 1-1, so we'd go to overtime!
The four-on-four overtime period saw nothing resolved between these two teams, so we'd jump to three-on-three overtime where it took just 59 seconds to find a winner. Bailee Bourassa would end this game when she lit the lamp behind Jane Kish as the Saskatchewan Huskies scored victory with the 2-1 double-overtime score over the Regina Cougars! Jessica Vance picked up her 12th win with a 16-save night while Jane Kish suffered the overtime loss after stopping 19 shots.
There are no highlights because the Regina Cougars opted not to put a camera at the rink tonight despite this being one of the biggest weekends for them in recent history, so there are no highlights. Get it together, Cougars! Highlights make everything better!
With points split between the two sides, the option of winning in regulation was never more prominent for Regina in this game if they hoped to maintain their fourth-place status. With the overtime victory last night, Sasktachewan could still overtake Calgary with a regulation win, some help from the tie-breaker, and some additional help from the Pronghorns. A regulation win for either side could be huge in this final game of the season! Jane Kish and Jessica Vance would square off in a rematch from Friday night's game.
These two teams continued their chess match in this game as the first period was more of the scoreless hockey variety despite Regina having a pair of power-play advantages compared to Saskatchewan's lone advantage. Both netminders were on their games, though, and we saw some good saves made in the first frame as the teams opened up the ice and found room to shoot. However, with no pucks denting twine, we'd go to the second period still tied at 0-0 and with Regina leading 11-9 in shots.
The second period saw the stalemate broken early despite the Saskatchewan highlight package providing no evidence of this goal. Regina used an early power-play where Merissa Zerr found room past Jessica Vance on her own rebound after a solid glove save by the netminder, but the damage had been done at 3:59 as Regina took the 1-0 lead! Regina was then assessed the next three minor penalties in this period, but that improved Cougars penalty-kill was good on all three shorthanded situations as the lead remained intact through the to the second intermission with Saskatchewan up 18-17 in shots.
The third period saw the teams looking to add more than one goal to the scoreboard as they went up and down the ice, and the Cougars would commit a foul that allowed the Huskies to find the net. On the power-play, Sophie Lalor and Bailee Bourassa played catch at the top of the circles before Lalor ripped a wrist shot high on the blocker side on Kish at 11:47 to tie the game at 1-1! 3:32 later off a face-off win by the Huskies, Emma Nutter sent the puck across to her defensive partner in Morgan Willoughby, and Willoughby's shot beat Kish in virtually the same spot as the Lalor goal did as the Huskies jumped ahead 2-1! Not content with a loss, the Cougars pulled Kish with 2:30 to play in an effort to at least get to overtime, and they'd find the goal they needed. Paige Hubbard's wrap-around attempt was stopped by Vance, but her second shot chipped the puck up and over the Huskies netminder as the Cougars tied the game with 40 seconds remaining! No other goals would be scored before the horn, so we'd head to extra time for the second-straight night!
The four-on-four overtime period? Zero goals scored. The three-on-three overtime period? Ditto. That means it was time for a skills competition! The first three rounds of the shootout saw the goalies stand tall. In Round Four, Sophie Lalor's shot was denied by Kish, but Jaycee Magwood beat Vance through the wickets to send Regina home with the 3-2 shootout victory! Jane Kish picked up her 13th win of the season with a 34-save performance plus four more stops in the shootout while Jessica Vance drops the shootout after making 26 saves in 70 minutes of play plus three more in the skills competition.
Highlights are below!
CWUAA WOMEN'S HOCKEY
School
Record
Points
GF
GA
Streak
Next
Alberta
19-8-1-0
59
81
31
W1
BYE
Calgary
17-7-1-3
56
61
42
W2
BYE
Saskatchewan
14-7-3-4
52
55
42
L1
vs UBC
Mount Royal
12-14-2-0
40
43
44
W3
vs REG
Regina
9-13-5-1
38
48
54
W1
@ MRU
British Columbia
9-13-1-5
34
41
59
L2
@ SAS
Manitoba
8-17-2-1
29
34
63
L1
OUT
Lethbridge
7-18-2-3
28
48
76
L3
OUT
*teams in yellow have clinched a playoff spot
The Last Word
The playoff match-ups are set, and they'll look something like this.
The scheduling for these games are as follows:
Friday, February 14 at 7pm ST
Saturday, February 15 at 7pm ST
Sunday, February 16 at 7pm ST (if necessary)
Friday, February 14 at 2:30pm MT
Saturday, February 15 at 2:30pm MT
Sunday, February 16 at 2:30pm MT (if necessary)
We'll go over these match-ups in-depth on The Hockey Show this week on Thursday, so make sure you tune in for that as we break down some numbers and predict who will move on to face either Calgary or Alberta in the semifinals.
Everything is set for the playoffs as four teams will battle this upcoming weekend with the hopes of winning the Canada West Conference while earning a berth into the U SPORTS National Championship. It all starts Friday, so make sure you tune in on Canada West TV to catch all the action or, better yet, head down to either Merlis Belsher Place or Flames Community Arena to cheer on the ladies as they start the "second season" of play!
Full credit goes to Bisons women's hockey equipment manager Mat Relf for the setup of these iconic images to the left as the Bisons women's hockey program will bid adieu to two women who have been rather spectacular in their careers while wearing the brown-and-gold. Having gotten to know Jordy Zacahrias and Amanda Schubert over the years they played for the Bisons, I am truly blessed to have crossed paths with these amazing women who will undoubtedly go on to have amazing careers both in their chosen fields of study and possibly on the ice if they opt to continue on with the game. They will be amazing alumni, and I have a feeling it won't be the last time we see them around Wayne Fleming Arena.
If I was to give credit to any of the women who welcomed The Hockey Show in its infancy into the Bisons women's hockey program, Amanda Schubert was one of the first players to seize the opportunity of the radio show to help promote the team. Every single time she was on the show, it was memorable for me simply because Amanda has seen and done so much in the game. From her 66-save, five-overtime victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies to her time playing professionally in Finland to the amazing tandem play she established alongside Rachel Dyck, Amanda Schubert's dancing on the ice, infectious personality off it, and amazing goaltending in the blue paint makes her one of the icons of this hockey program.
Kyleigh Palmer and I had mentioned on the Bisons women's hockey broadcast today on Canada West TV and UMFM that we'll likely never seen another player like Amanda Schubert again. If there was one memory that sticks out to me when thinking of Schubert specifically, it comes from 2015 where the Bisons upset the UBC Thunderbirds in a three-game series where the rivalry was ramped up and the hatred between the two teams may have reached an all-time high. There were UBC Thunderbirds fan who brought signs, and one was directed at the outspoken netminder who wore #35 for the Bisons.
As I wrote at the time, "If you're going to chirp, it's probably not a good idea to chirp Bisons goalie Amanda Schubert. Schubert, for her part, has been a huge supporter of Rachel Dyck's play this season, and she's embraced her role on the team in the playoffs as the back-up goalie. Chirping her about sitting the bench is honestly dumb because one of the two goalies HAS to sit on the bench. However, that didn't stop Schubert from exacting a little revenge and stealing the fan's sign about her having the best seat in the house". What made it even better was that Schubert went to Twitter to double-down on her team's victory over UBC by standing behind her belief in her team.
The tweet and the photo are one of my most cherished memories of getting to see Amanda play, and, as stated above, it's why I believe that we may never see another player like Amanda Schubert again.
Jordy Zacharias started her career in the NCAA with the University of Connecticut, but came back to Manitoba after one NCAA season where she joined the Bisons. From the moment she put the Bisons jersey on, her offensive talents shone as she was one of the top goal scorers every year at the Canada West level. Not only was Jordy a heckuva goal scorer, she seemed to have the knack to score timely goals as she was always a threat with the game tied late. Her career total of 15 game-winning goals - tied for sixth-place all-time - proves that Zacharias was clutch, and her leadership combined with her stoic personality made her choice as alternate captain last season and captain this season a no-brainer.
Both Kyleigh and I noted how consistent Jordy was in her career when it came to head coach Jon Rempel sending her over the boards when the Bisons needed a goal. She was good at not only lighting the lamp, but her speed made her dangerous on odd-player rushes where her vision and her hands were on display as she often set-up teammates for easy tap-in goals as defenders desperately tried to catch the #27 who had pulled away from them. Her skills in the shootout were unparalleled as she earned the unofficial title of "Miss Automatic" for her propensity to score shootout goals like no one else.
Often, Jon Rempel would use Zacharias as the first shooter to get a jump on the opposition in the shootout. As you may know, playing with the lead is always better than trying to make up the difference in the shootout, and that was perhaps on display at no bigger time than when she scored the first Manitoba goal against Concordia University at the 2018 U SPORTS National Championship semifinal game to put Manitoba up 1-0 in the skills competition where they would prevail 2-1 en route to the school's first Golden Path Trophy as U SPORTS National Champions.
Of course, if we're talking big goals, Jordy may have recorded one of the biggest in program history.
That goal in the fourth overtime period against the Alberta Pandas in 2018 was the only goal of the game in Manitoba's Game Three victory, and it helped the Bisons advance to the Canada West Final where they would defeat Saskatchewan before winning the U SPORTS National Championship. Her clutch scoring, her leadership, and her efforts on the ice is what every future Bisons player should hope to achieve while wearing the Bisons crest, and I'm certain that we'll be talking about Jordy's play with the Bisons for years to come!
Now, some of you may be sitting there and saying, "Teebz, you had a different perspective from the broadcast booth," and that's likely true when it comes to the interactions I had with both Jordy and Amanda. What shouldn't be confused or missed, though, is that their interactions with me were genuine and authentic as to the people who they are - their personalities, their abilities, and the deep respect and gratefulness that I have for both of them for allowing a goofball like me to follow and document their exploits and achievements. Here are head coach Jon Rempel and a handful of Jordy's and Amanda's former teammates speaking about the two players and the impact they both had on the program, the team, and their teammates.
As I said above, I am truly blessed to have crossed paths with these amazing women, and these comments from Jon and their teammates make me realize how lucky I've been in having the privilege and honour to cover the careers of two of Manitoba's best players to have ever worn the brown-and-gold.
I don't get emotional often, but I feel like Jordy and Amanda have helped me grow as a radio broadcaster and sports broadcaster through their interactions with me and their appearances on the radio show and during Bisons hockey broadcasts. I feel a debt of gratitude should be paid to them for allowing me to get to know them, for sitting and chatting with me about the game and team behind the scenes when the microphones weren't on, and allowing me to get to know them better. I feel privileged, as I have stated, that I can call them friends who have made me appreciate the sport of women's hockey so much more by allowing me glimpses into their lives off the ice as much as I get to see them on the ice. Knowing what they go through as people off the ice when it comes to work-life-hockey balances only generates more respect from me because these two literally gave everything they had to the hockey program, to their studies, and in life in becoming the exceptional women they are today. I am a fan of these two and they'll always have me as a fan because of how they conducted themselves on and off the ice. I'll be forever thankful for having gotten to know Jordy Zacharias and Amanda Schubert, and I wish them nothing but the brightest and most successful of futures after accomplishing so much at the University of Manitoba.
My only hope? They come back once in a while so we can get updates on how well everything is going!
It was announced today that the Las Vegas Golden Knights, after teasing fans about a possible AHL franchise moving into town, had purchased the San Antonio Rampage franchise with the intention of moving the AHL club to Henderson, Nevada where they would become the new AHL affiliate for the Golden Knights. I have to say that this decision by the Golden Knights and the AHL sucks if it indeed comes to pass, and the people of San Antonio who had come to love their AHL team deserve better than having it ripped away from them with little say in the matter. For eighteen years, the Rampage have called San Antonio home, and they've forged a solid relationship with fans and sponsors that will no longer be a part of the AHL world.
Having gone through a situation where an NHL team was taken from this city, I can assure you that this moving of a franchise sucks. Yes, I understand not everyone is a fan of the Rampage and will share that sentiment, but the nearly-6000 people that attend the Rampage games when they play at home deserve better than "good-bye and good luck". They've been loyal to this franchise who currently ranks 12th in average attendance in the AHL, and they've created an incredible rivalry with the Texas Stars despite the Rampage having been affiliated with a handful of NHL teams in their history.
I look at the AHL every season as they've grown, and they truly have become a league that has spread from mostly-in-the-northeast to spreading throughout North America, yet it seems the state of Texas always is on the wrong end of decisions made by NHL teams when it comes to moving franchises.
The Houston Aeros were a highly-successful franchise that ran into some problems with the Toyota Center when the arena owners opted to raise the rent for the AHL club by a reported 300%, as per a John Royal report in the Houston Press, which the Minnesota Wild, who owned the Aeros franchise, immediately turned down. There was talk of the Aeros possibly moving to NRG Arena in the linked report, but Rodeo Houston's "demands for exclusive facility use for four straight weeks was too much for the AHL". In the end, the Wild opted to relocate the franchise to Des Moines, Iowa where they've played as the Iowa Wild since 2013.
There have been CHL and IHL teams that have called San Antonio home as well, and these teams were short-lived before the Rampage set-up shop in Texas' second-most populous city. We've seen the AHL leave cities where franchises were not only successful, but well-supported by their fans. Those cities include St. John's, Newfoundland, Manchester, New Hampshire, Hamilton, Ontario, and the aforementioned Houston, Texas. The AHL seemingly puts up little argument when an NHL team feels the need to move their AHL affiliate, and it's unfortunate that San Antonio is going to be the next city left in the wake of an NHL team who simply wants to have their AHL Affiliate a little closer to home.
There should be a cautionary paragraph written here about the Golden Knights - who have one of the highest average ticket prices in the NHL - moving their AHL franchise into the same city. The Toronto Maple Leafs - who are consistently at the top of the NHL's average ticket pricing lists - and the Winnipeg jets both have their AHL franchises playing in the same city, and the attendance at games for the Marlies and Moose, respectively, are 13th- and 21st-overall in the AHL - less than what the Rampage are currently averaging in San Antonio.
Why is this important? From 2011-15 when the Jets had their AHL affiliate in St. John's, Newfoundland, the IceCaps were averaging 6162 fans over those four years, some 1100 fans more than the Moose are averaging this season. The Marlies, who have been Toronto's affiliate since 2005, have seen their attendance grow since their inception, but there have been ebbs and flows based on annual performance by the Marlies. As it stands, the Marlies are averaging 5385 fans per season since their founding, but are averaging 300 less fans this season per game than the Rampage and are 600 off the Rampage's total this season when looking at the Marlies' all-time average.
Where the cautionary tale should be held, however, is in San Jose. The Barracuda, who share the California city with the NHL affiliate in the Sharks, average 3531 fans this season, fifth-lowest in the entire AHL. Comparatively, the Worcester Sharks averaged 4130 fans over nine seasons of play in Massachusetts, some 600 fans more than what the Barracuda are averaging this season, and they never dropped below an annual average attendance of 3672. What makes this entire matter in San Jose worse? Tickets to see the Barracuda are just $10 - lowest in the AHL.
If people aren't going to watch San Jose's future stars on the Barracuda play when it costs just $10 to attend a game, is this move a wise decision for the Golden Knights if they cite costs and player availability as the leading factors - the exact same reasons for San Jose to plunk their affiliate in San Jose - for the needed move of the Rampage?
Well, player availability is definitely better as the team will be a short drive away from T-Mobile Arena in the event that a call-up is needed by the Golden Knights. However, if the Golden Knights are looking for their AHL affiliate to be profitable, the loss in ticket sales, merchandise sales, and a dedicated following might reduce any profits that the Rampage currently boast. While it certainly costs less money to run an AHL franchise compared to an NHL franchise, I don't believe that any NHL team is wanting to run an AHL team like a charity where they just keep dumping money into it with no return on investment outside of player development. NHL teams are, ultimately, businesses, and none of them are particularly fond of losing money.
Whatever the results are for the Golden Knights in establishing their hockey foothold in Henderson, Nevada, it seems the purchase of the Rampage franchise and the announcement of moving it makes the future of hockey in San Antonio unclear. While it may be possible to have an ECHL team move into city as we've seen the ECHL do in Manchester, Norfolk, and other former AHL cities, the wound of having the team ripped from their collective hands will remain fresh for the fans of the Rampage.
It sucks, Rampage fans, and I feel your pain. It sucked for us in Winnipeg when the Jets moved to Phoenix, it sucked for fans in Hartford when the Whalers became the Hurricanes in Raleigh, it sucked twice for Flames and Thrashers fans in Atlanta when those teams left that city, and it sucked for the people of Quebec City to watch their beloved Nordiques leave for Denver. The key in all those moves is that none of those cities stopped being awesome, and having visited San Antonio in my time on this planet I can certainly say that your city will remain one of my favorite with or without AHL hockey calling San Antonio home.
Whatever happens in the future if or when a new team moves in, please give that team your support. The new team likely had nothing to do with this decision by the Golden Knights to take your team, so don't hold it against them. Instead, embrace them. Support the new team as well as you supported the Rampage because it's pretty clear to me that San Antonio is a hockey town.
The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back in-studio tonight after spending four days at the BellMTS IcePlex as part of the 2020 Female World Sport School Challenge. Honestly, the hockey action at that event is some of the best you'll see any place, any time, and anywhere in our great city, and it shocks me more people don't come out to watch these young women play a little puck. In any case, we'll talk about that tournament along with a few other things that hit the news this week while avoiding all the Dustin Byfuglien news at least until both sides have offered their sides of the story. If you want to call in, don't bring up Buff's situation with the Jets unless you're Dustin Byfuglien and you want to talk.
Tonight, Jason Pchajek, sports editor of The Manitoban, will join me as we look at the Pronghorns and Bisons, two teams that will sit on the sidelines of the Canada West playoffs on the women's side of the coin while the men's side has the Pronghorns on the outside and Manitoba clinging to fifth-place with both UBC and Regina having shots to overtake them as the Bisons battle the first-place Alberta Golden Bears. We'll go deep into the second-half woes seen by the Lethbridge women's hockey team over the last five seasons as they'll see Alicia Anderson graduate this year, possibly making wins even harder to come by next season without their star netminder. We'll also go over the results of the 2020 Female World Sport School Challenge, the trade between the Maple Leafs and Kings, Bobby Ryan returning to Ottawa, acknowledging a ton of exceptional athletes this country boasts in honour of National Girls and Women in Sports Day yesterday, and talk about an incident in Quebec that had tragic results where someone should have recognized the warning signs. All of this happens at 5:30pm CT, so make sure you tune in!
Where's the best place can you hear the show if you're outside Winnipeg or not near a radio, you ask? The new UMFM website's online streaming player is pretty awesome if you want to listen online. If you're using an Apple device, the player doesn't seem to like Safari yet, but we highly recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or perhaps another browser. If you do 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 discuss where things are going or went wrong this year for two schools' hockey programs, if the Leafs got things right with their trade, Bobby Ryan getting his head right, and good things that happened at the Female World Sport School Challenge, why things went wrong in Quebec, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!
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