Raiders land biggest fish in Cootes before trade deadline

Curtis Hunt went deep like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. when it came to this year’s WHL trade deadline.

The WHL trade deadline is passed on Thursday at 7 p.m. Saskatchewan time. A total of nine deals were made on the deadline day itself, and pretty much all those transactions equate to a team sending a player to another team in hopes of getting more ice time and a restart.

On Tuesday, the Raiders executed their final deal before the deadline and it was a blockbuster. They landed Seattle Thunderbirds captain in 18-year-old centre Braeden Cootes. Cootes just finished helping Canada win bronze at the world juniors that wrapped up on Monday in Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Cootes started the campaign playing three regular season games with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks selected the Sherwood Park, Alta., product in the first round and 15^th overall in the NHL Entry Draft held last June. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canucks on July 9, 2025.

After being returned to the Thunderbirds, Cootes appeared in 17 regular season games posting 10 goals, 13 assists and a plus-three rating in the plus-minus department before departing to join Canada’s squad for world juniors. He had a pair of goals in seven games for Canada at world juniors.

This column of mine appeared in the Prince Albert Daily Herald. To read the full article, feel free to click right here.

Power player powers Oil Kings, comes up empty for Blades

Max Curran (#8) celebrates scoring a second period power-play goal.

The power play can giveth, and the power play and taketh away.

The Edmonton Oil Kings and Saskatoon Blades learned that lesson in a huge way in a head-to-head WHL regular season clash played before 3,934 spectators on Friday at the SaskTel Centre. The visiting Oil Kings went 3-for-6 with the man advantage and skated away with a 3-1 victory.

The Blades came up empty on six power-play opportunities and had to wonder what might have been. Saskatoon entered the contest having scored on 39-of-134 power-play chances on the campaign for a 29.1 per cent success rate to rate fourth overall in the WHL. The Blades penalty kill was about middle of the pack with a 77.9 per cent success rate entering play on Friday.

Max Curran scored two power-play goals for the Oil Kings.

Edmonton’s power play entering play on Friday was 28-for-139 for a 20.1 per cent success rate, which was in the bottom half of the league. The Oil Kings were also tied with the Wenatchee Wild for giving up the most short-handed goals against at eight. The penalty kill was a different story for Edmonton as the Oil Kings had an 81.8 per cent success rate entering play on Friday to sit in the top four on the circuit.

The win was a sixth straight for the Oil Kings, who improved to 28-7-3-1 to sit in a tie with the Prince Albert Raiders (28-5-4) for second and third overall in the Eastern Conference. Edmonton was rated sixth in the latest CHL Top 10 Rankings that were released on Tuesday, while the Raiders are third.

Evan Gardner makes one of his 26 save in goal for the Blades.

The Blades saw their four game winning streak come to an end on Friday. They fell to 21-15-2-1 to sit fifth overall in the Eastern Conference.

Going into Friday’s contest, it wasn’t expected the Oil Kings would outshine the Blades on the power play. That ended up being exactly what happened.

The Oil Kings broke on the scoreboard first scoring on the power play on their first shot of the game at the 4:06 mark of the opening frame. Oil Kings import right-winger Miroslav Holinka had the puck along the left wing and fed a pass across the front of the Saskatoon net to star centre Max Curran positioned by the right faceoff circle.

Curran, who helped Czechia win silver at the world juniors that concluded on Monday in Minnesota, one-timed home his 12^th of the season to give the visitors their one-goal edge.

Miroslav Holinka had a pair of assists for the Oil Kings.

With 8:30 remaining in the first, the Blades had a huge chance to pull even on the scoreboard. Blades rookie import left-winger Elias Pul deflected a point shot from the front of the Edmonton net only to be denied by Oil Kings reliable 17-year-old rookie netminder Parker Snell.

At the 4:06 mark of the second, the Oil Kings pushed their advantage out to 2-0 scoring their second power-play goal that was almost a carbon copy of their first. Holinka had the puck up high by the left point and slid a pass to the right side of the Saskatoon net to Curran. From a bad angle, Curran slid home his second of the contest and 13^th of the campaign to give Edmonton a two-goal advantage.

Isaac Poll had the Blades lone goal on Friday.

Oil Kings star 19-year-old defenceman Ethan MacKenzie picked up assists on both of those first two power-play goals. MacKenzie was playing his first game with the Oil Kings after having helped Canada win bronze at the world junior that wrapped up on Monday.

By the time the second period came to an end, the Blades had failed to score on five of their chances with the power play. They still managed to gain some momentum before the second frame ended.

With three seconds remaining in the second, the Blades got a big traction goal from sophomore 18-year-old defenceman Isaac Poll. Poll had the puck by the right side boards in the Edmonton zone above the right faceoff circle and floated home a shot for his first tally of the campaign to cut the Oil Kings lead to 2-1.

Blake Fiddler scored a key third period power-play goal.

The Oil King proceeded to get a key dagger goal at the 4:38 mark of the third period scoring their third power-play marker on the night. Edmonton defenceman Blake Fiddler took a shot from the point that deflected off a couple of bodies into the Saskatoon net to push the visitors lead out to 3-1.

With 6:56 remaining in the third, Blades 17-year-old right-winger Zach Olsen was given a double minor for high sticking and that infraction will be automatically reviewed by the WHL office for a possible suspension. The Oil Kings were unable to build on their lead on that four-minute power play.

Evan Gardner turned away 26 shots taking the setback in goal for the Blades. Snell stopped 19 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Oil Kings, who have won two-of-three meetings with the Blades this season.

The Oil Kings return to action on Saturday when they travel to Prince Albert to take on the Raiders (7 p.m., Art Hauser Centre).

The Oil Kings celebrate their win on Friday night.

The Blades are off until Wednesday when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings (7 p.m., SaskTel Centre).

Going forward, the Blades will be looking to rediscover their prolific touch on the power play.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Hilltops take CFL rule changes as it is what it is

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant studies play in a CJFL game on Aug. 17.

The Saskatoon Hilltops will deal with the trickle down effects of the CFL’s rule changes as they come.

On Monday, Canada’s professional circuit announced some major rule changes. Starting in 2026, the famous rouge has been altered.

No points will be awarded for missed field goals, punts and kickoffs that go through the end zone via either through the air or a bounce. If a returner fields any of those types of kicks in the end zone and is tackled in the end zone or kneels down in the end zone, a single point rouge will be scored.

A 35-second play clock will replace the 20-second play clock in 2026. Next year once a play is blown dead, a 35-second play clock begins. Also in 2026, team benches at all CFL stadiums will be on opposite sides of the field.

In 2027, the field of play will change. The field of play between the goal-lines will be 100 yards instead of 110 yards. The depth of the end zones will shrink from 20 yards to 15 yards.

The width of the field will still be 65 yards. The uprights will be moved from the goal-line to the back of the end zone.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant had up and down feelings about the changes.

“I understand and respect the reason why they want to move the goalpost,” said Sargeant, who has guided the Hilltops to 14 CJFL title wins as head coach. “I think that is a safety element.

“Everything we’ve done when you look at the game of football with literature is trying to make the game a safer place. I think they’re trying to make it more Americanized. Do I agree with all the things, no I don’t, but you know right now that is professional sport.

“I coach amateur football. Hopefully, it doesn’t affect us and we can keep doing what we’re doing, because obviously for the blue and gold, it has worked out pretty well.”

Hilltops star fifth year defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens went to training camp with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and was on their practice roster until the time arrived for him to be assigned back to the Hilltops. The Eatonia, Sask., product has a fondness for how the game is now, but he believes CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston is trying his best to move the game forward.

“It is a little tough for me,” said Stevens. “All the respect to the commissioner there.

“He is trying to improve the league and do what he can do to help out there and help grow the game and make it more exciting for the fans, obviously. I have mixed feelings, but ultimately, it is not up to me with what happens. I do know no matter what the Canadian game is going to be great no matter what happens.”

As for the change in the field size, Stevens said you just have to adjust to it. He said the three players currently on the Hilltops roster that were born in the United States in receiver/safety Isaiah Vallderruten, running back David Collins and receiver David Boyd Jr. have all adapted to playing the larger Canadian sized field, so that adaptation can work going the other way.

“I’ve only ever played on one size of field there, obviously,” said Stevens. “If it came down to it, what else can you do.

“You’d have to adapt to it, and obviously, get used to new things as the Americans here. They had to get used to our field, so we’ll see how it goes.”

CFL rule changes gave Yausie new work

Jeff Yausie works the sidelines as the Hilltops DC on Aug. 17.

The CFL’s incoming rule changes created some unexpected homework for Jeff Yausie.

Yausie had been focusing on his role as the defensive coordinator for the CJFL’s storied Saskatoon Hilltops reviewing video of their 52-26 victory over the Edmonton Wildcats at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. That all changed on Monday morning when the CFL announced some major rule changes, and Yausie had to jump into action as the CEO of Football Saskatchewan in gathering information and having meetings about the changes.

Yausie said the staff at Football Saskatchewan didn’t have any idea the CFL rule changes were coming on Monday. One of the meetings included talking with Saskatchewan Roughriders president and CEO Craig Reynolds.

“I had meetings with Craig (Reynolds) from the ’Riders, and they were told to keep it top secret until the announcement, which totally makes sense,” said Yausie. “It was a complete surprise for us.

“Even Football Canada had received word like the night before at the last second, so there was not a lot of consultation across the players association and the amateur football. Obviously, it was a really well-organized announcement. They did their homework.

“They had some real good graphics and stuff to explain the changes and the differences.”

While the new rules will see the CFL change to a field that is 100 yards in length between the end zones as opposed to the current 110 yards, Yausie doesn’t think the CFL is moving to a version of the sport that more resembles what is played in the United States.

“I really don’t,” said Yausie. “To me, the only changes to make it more American football are 100-yard field and goalposts to the back of the end zone.

“I like goalposts to the back of the end zone, and I like 100-yard field. I think it’ll turn into more scoring, which is what their analytics told them. For us and the rest of the changes, I think you have to change and grow to get better and to keep up with the times.

“We’re excited about that. The concern is the change to the field sizes and how that affects amateur football. That is going to take time for that to figure out.”

Yausie said he was happy the changes that are coming in are staggered for 2026 and 2027. He added it would take more time in the amateur football world to change facilities and believes those changes could take five to 10 years before everyone adjusts. For teams that play in CFL stadiums, Yausie said they would be affected the most.

He believes it is possible that Football Canada might follow the CFL as far as rule changes go.

“I think they could,” said Yausie. “We’ll certainly analyze it as far as the rule changes that were made, not the field sized ones, but the rule changes to start.

“The good thing is the CFL is a professional league. We can analyze what they’re doing, and we can see if it works, if it doesn’t work. If it is great, then we’ll adopt and change.

“I think some of that will happen.”

Yausie admits it is also a challenge to secure money for sports facilities in Canada, so that exists as a hurdle when it comes to changing fields.

“For sure, dollars for sports is a huge concern,” said Yausie. “The cool part is in Saskatchewan we love our six-a-side football, our nine-a –side football and our 12-a-side football.

“Football is football. I don’t care what the field size is. They didn’t touch the 65-yard width, which is huge.

“They didn’t touch the downs like three-down football we are. They didn’t touch a yard off the ball. To me, it is really not Americanizing Canadian football.”

Reaction to CFL rule changes more mixed than I thought

Andrew Harris in action for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2017.

The CFL rule changes avoided the deal breaker.

As a result, the reaction I’ve seen to the incoming rule changes is more mixed than I thought. To me, the reaction has been about 55 per cent negative and 45 per cent understanding. In my subjective view, it has been way more even than I expected.

I think the deal breaker would have been had the CFL elected to become a four-down game as opposed to sticking to three downs. Having three downs to gain 10 yards is the most defining characteristic of the Canadian game of football.

Had there been a change to four downs, I could envision the two CFL stronghold franchises in the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers losing half of their season ticket holders going into the 2026 campaign.

The CFL approached the rule changes with great skill. They highlighted the changes to the rouge. I think half of the fans of the Canadian game did not want any points to be given for balls that were kicked through the end zone – especially for missed field goals.

The alterations that were made to the rouge were something that most to all CFL fans could agree to. From there, the CFL eased into the other changes like adjusting the play clock and field dimensions.

The CFL approached the rule changes like skilled politicians. You make a change in the law or a program everyone pretty much can agree to and you proceed to add changes to other laws and programs people might be wary of after that.

With that approach, the CFL got a sizable number of people who felt OK with the rule changes.

As far as bringing in a 35-second play clock is concerned, I’ve had football people tell me there are consistency issues with the 20-second play clock regarding how officials allow teams to substitute in players. Those issues aren’t major ones and were something that was being dealt with in organizational meetings in the sport.

For myself, I still don’t like the rule changes, but they are not deal breakers that will make me decide to stop going to games. I will still go to CFL games.

Had they made it even more like the game in the United States, I wouldn’t like the changes, but I would still go for the curiosity factor. I also find I like football in all its forms including the flag and touch games.

I think the changes that were made open doors for the CFL to possibly get a television contract or streaming service contract in the United States and possibly expand again to the United States. I think the changes will help sell the league to legal gambling partners and possibly make it easier to get a video game done.

I haven’t gambled on any type of sports in years. With that noted, I realize the sports industry makes big money on gambling, and I think it is likely way more money than I originally thought.

I know in Canada the notion is there about expanding the CFL to Quebec City or Halifax, N.S.

However, I can see the CFL looking to the United States, because it is easier to do business there. To build any sort of sports facilities in Canada including potential stadiums in Quebec City and Halifax, those looking to build often rely on getting grants from the Government of Canada. Currently, the Government of Canada ties those grants to promises of the new facilities that are powered by green energy to a certain extent and are environment friendly.

Actually to be realistic, the Government of Canada makes the sports industry jump through various hoops in ways that parallel most other industries in the country.

In the United States, sports are a major industry. To use a metaphor, sports in the United States is a big-boss table that includes kings and queens, while Canada’s sports industry is a baby in a high-chair.

I think the CFL could use expansion to the United States as a way to leverage better business environments for its franchises in Canada.

I know almost all professional football circuits that have operated in the United States not named the NFL have failed. Still, I can see why the business people in the CFL would look in that direction. The current rule changes still keep the essence of the Canadian game, and I can see the business crew in the CFL thinking that could still be a great selling point there.

I also note that while I hate the CFL rule changes I don’t get overly emotional about it, and I don’t let it affect my life. I don’t own a team, so I have no control over what happens to that circuit.

It is an entertainment option. One day I might decide it doesn’t work for me anymore, and at that point, I will no longer be someone that buys tickets to games or merchandise.

I won’t pout or get upset or act like a bratty baby. I will just leave and go on to something else.

At this point, the CFL still works for me as an entertainment option.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Zablocki making mark on P.A.’s storied female hockey legacy

Stryker Zablocki, centre, sets to drop a ceremonial faceoff.

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Stryker Zablocki hasn’t even graduated high school, and she has already done enough to ensure she will one day be part of Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame.

When her hockey career wraps up, there is a high likelihood she will end up with multiple Sports Hall of Fame nods. With that noted, the folks in Prince Albert love following and celebrating their sports heroes. Zablocki, who turned 18-years-old just past the middle of January, has carried hero status for a good stretch already in her hometown of “Hockey Town North.”

On January 12 in Vantaa, Finland, Zablocki had an empty-net goal helping Canada blank the United States 3-0 in the gold medal game of the IIHF’s Under-18 Women’s Would Championship Tournament. The skilled forward, who stands 5-foot-6, topped the tournament with eight goals and 12 points and was named to the tournament’s all-star team. Zablocki played for Canada one year earlier too at the Under-18 Women’s Worlds capturing a bronze medal at that event.

Stryker Zablocki, centre, gets a puck from Justice Christensen.

Last Friday, Zablocki received a hero’s welcome at the Art Hauser Centre when she dropped the puck for a ceremonial faceoff before for that night’s WHL contest between the host Raiders and the Moose Jaw Warriors, which the Raiders claimed 4-1. During the second intermission, Zablocki signed autographs for a seemingly endless line of fans in the Johnny Bower Lobby.

The supporters all wanted to ensure Zablocki knew they were proud of her. The upbeat smile never left Zablocki’s face, and she made sure everyone that came to see her left in high spirits.

Growing up in Prince Albert, Zablocki stood out in hockey and track and field. Zablocki played hockey in boys’ leagues on defence up until joining the Foxes female under-15 AA team and then switching over to forward.

Stryker Zablocki, right, signs a young fan’s jersey.

When it came time to choose an under-18 AAA team to play on, she elected to move away from home and join the Regina Rebels for the start of the 2022-23 campaign. The Rebels had just come off of falling in the Saskatchewan Female Under-18 AAA Hockey League championship series to the Notre Dame Hounds in April of 2022.

In 57 career regular season games with the Rebels from 2022 to 2024, Zablocki piled up 65 goals and 40 assists for 105 points. She helped the Rebels win SFU18AAAHL titles in both her campaigns with the squad.

On April 28, 2024, Zablocki scoring the winning goal as the Rebels downed the North York Storm 2-1 in the title game of the Esso Cup tournament that crowns a female national under-18 AAA champion. Zablocki recorded eight goals and three assists in seven games at the Esso Cup claiming honours as tournament MVP.

A large group of fans came to see Stryker Zablocki, right.

Zablocki also made a name for herself representing Canada in track and field. In July of 2023, she took part in the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association Under-18 Championships in athletics held in San Jose, Costa Rica. She was part of Canada’s four member gold medal winner in the 4 X 400-metre female relay race.

As a Grade 11 student at Prince Albert’s Carlton Comprehensive High School in June of 2024, Zablocki won gold in the senior girls’ 100-metre and 200-metre races at the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association Track and Field Championships held in Saskatoon.

In September of 2023, Zablocki committed to the Northeastern University Huskies Women’s Hockey team in the NCAA Division I ranks for the start of the 2026-27 campaign. Northeastern University is located in Boston, Massachusetts.

Stryker Zablocki, right, shares a laugh with a young supporter.

Zablocki elected to join the Bishop Kearney High School Selects for her Grade 12 campaign this season in Rochester, New York, to prepare herself for the change of moving down south. The Selects are full of players from across the United States and have one player from Slovakia.

Zablocki will return to Saskatchewan for the final part of the school year to once again compete in track and field.

In hockey, Zablocki continuing the legacy of great female players who come out of Prince Albert including Danny Stone, Kaitlin Willoughby of the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres, Jessica Vance, Brooke Hobson of the PWHL’s New York Sirens, and Abby Soyko. All play with incredible skill, heart and grit, which a signature for hockey players from the “Gateway to the North.”

Stryker Zablocki, centre, is pictured with two young fans.

Zablocki has the potential to write many more successful chapters in her hockey career. It wouldn’t be a surprise if one day she turned out to be the best female player to ever come out of P.A.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Unfortunately, sports and politics do collide

Expect trend to increase with Trump as US President

Has anybody in Canada seen much of Steven Guilbeault in recent weeks?

From 2021 to 2024, it seemed like the famed former member of Greenpeace was a regular on Canadian news networks serving as Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, which is a position he still holds. Guilbeault seemingly spoke as Prime Minister of Canada 1A creating policies to force Canada to move towards a green economy. He was the star shown all over the place as it seemed to be Canada was positioned to be the hero that was going to save the world from climate change under the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Guilbeault was seen regularly in early January 2025 until January 20 rolled around and Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States of America for a second term taking over from Democrat Joe Biden, who beat Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election. Since becoming the President of the United States again, Trump signed off on an avalanche of executive orders changing numerous aspects of life in that country and using the threats of tariffs to declare economic war on first Canada and Mexico along with seemingly the rest of the world.

Of course, he keeps repeating that line about making Canada the “51^st state.”

All of that has thrown Canada’s political scene in a crisis mode with the country’s economy being very dependent on what has traditionally been a good relationship with the United States. Under the specter of this current political climate, it seems like there is a fear that Canada could turn into a third world country overnight, if Trump makes good on his plans.

All of a sudden, you don’t hear much about Guilbeault and talk about Canada’s environmental policies has become muted. If they are talked about, they seem out of place in dealing with the economic challenges Canada now faces.

Shifting to the sporting world, Trump appeared at Super Bowl LIX on February 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. He received big cheers, but left early as the Philadelphia Eagles stormed to a 34-0 lead and hammered the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 40-22. The Chiefs scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter to make the final score look better cosmetically.

On Sunday, Trump appeared at the Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Air Force 1 took a flyby of the track and Trump road in his armoured Cadillac limousine nicknamed “The Beast” and lapped the track with his presidential motorcade leading the field of cars.

In Canada, the national anthem of the United States has been booed before NHL and NBA games hosted in Canadian cities and the two 4 Nations Face-Off games the United States team played at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The booing is done to show displeasure with Trump’s tariff threats.

On Monday, Bill Guerin, who is the Team USA general manager for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, said on Fox News he would be very happy to see Trump in the crowd for Thursday’s championship game. The USA will face Canada in the final to be played at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts (7 p.m. Saskatchewan time, Sportsnet). At the moment, it does not look like Trump will be attending this contest.

Trudeau was in attendance for the preliminary round game between Canada and the USA taken 3-1 including an empty-net goal by the Americans last Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal. That game started with three fights in the first nine seconds of the opening frame.

If the United States wins the 4 Nations Face-Off title game, you can be sure you will see messaging on social media that Canada was put in its place and that the USA owns Canada. You will likely hear messages from the folks in the United States that Canada has become an embarrassment in the game it loves and that Canada really isn’t a real country and should become a state.

When it comes to sport on the international scene, sport has become the place where a sizable number of countries use that space as the spot that proves their country and culture is superior that of another country and its culture.

When the Soviet Union existed, it often used both Summer and Winter Olympic Games along would world championships to declare being the world’s most superior nation state. Russia would do that under the rule of Vladimir Putin before their sports bodies were banned at Olympic and various other international sporting events following their invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

When Canada’s NHL players face the Soviet Union in the famed eight-game Summit Series of 1972, it became a tribalistic battle between cultures and peoples out on a hockey rink. Canada claimed that series with four wins, three losses and one tie on Paul Henderson’s famed Game 8 winner that broke a 5-5 tie and gave Canada a 6-5 victory with 34 seconds remaining in the third period.

Unfortunately, I believe the politics of the current day has devolved into a clown show and that has happened over the last 15 years.

To me, the extreme left that is seen as the woke left follows Trudeau. To me, it seems like that group of people believes concerns about the environment and climate change surpass all other issues, people are not born with a gender and can chose their gender, the Christian religion is evil, religion has no place in government, diversity, equity and inclusion is important, people are citizens of the world and should work toward a good of the globe view, the media should be controlled, the right wing voices should be silenced and the education system should conform to the leftist view that were listed.

To me, the extreme right follows Trump and the idea of Trumpism. To me, it seems like that group of people believes the economy is the issue of greatest concern, being hired on merit is more important than diversity, equity and inclusion, the Christian religion is good, religion has a place in government, there are only two sexes in male and female, women’s sports are for biological women, concerns about the environment and climate change have gone too far, those on the left wing are crazy, being combative with the media and those that don’t share your views is an acceptable behaviour and the education system should conform to the rightist view that were listed.

For both the extreme left and extreme right, I feel like if you don’t follow the dogmas I listed for each side those on each side believe you are an evil person that should be destroyed or at minimal cancelled.

Both sides have had their surprises.

In Canada especially Western Canada, the Liberals climate agenda when fully implemented would see only electric vehicles being used in Canada and all structures would be warmed by electric heat pumps. If you lived in Saskatchewan the last 10 days and experienced the extended extreme cold weather, those policies would mean no one would go anywhere and people would be freezing to death as electric heat pumps quit when it is colder than -25 C. In already following a green economic policy that has partially been put into action, tent cities and homeless has become the norm in Canadian centres of all sizes due to job losses and increased poverty.

Also if only electric vehicles were used, people at the moment would need to pay $31,000 to $75,000 to replace a battery on an electric vehicle. You are not likely to get three years out of a battery of an electric vehicle. The battery in an electric vehicle like all batteries declines in efficiency every time it is used, and electric vehicle batteries decline faster due to the size of the charge they need to hold.

Also, it does way more environmental damage to mine for the lithium for electric batteries for vehicles, and as my mechanic told me, the electric vehicle graveyard is already bigger than the gas vehicle graveyard. The world also doesn’t have enough lithium for there to be a full conversion to electric vehicles.

In the United States, President Trump’s second term so far has been more than anyone expected on the surprise front with all the executive orders he has signed. He is trying to change how government there operates, clear out senior executives in the FBI, send buyout offers to the entire CIA workforce, threaten economic war with Canada and Mexico and seemingly most other parts of the world and has seemingly sided with Russia in its war with Ukraine falsely saying that Ukraine started that war.

To me, both those on the far left and far right are trying to work things on the financial front to profit themselves and their buddies. If they do actually want to help the people they govern, they don’t truly know how to do that.

I said this before, but I personally have no use for Trudeau and Trump. I also believe there is value in trying to understand why people vote for either side, especially if their views are moderate or centralist. I believe it helps to figure out why we got to where we are in the world.

I believe the strong centralist voice has been lost. I believe good democracy comes from doing the art of the compromise well.

I also believe there are too many lies told in this world being both “white” lies and straight out lies. Those lies make trust hard to achieve and gives conspiracy theories traction.

I believe I don’t fit with either the far left or the far right, which means those on both spectrums will hate me. I understand that is an “it is what it is” thing, and I am fine with it.

Things will play out however they play out, and I will adjust to those factors when the effect me the best I can using the cards that are dealt my way. I feel like I have constantly said that since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic started in March of 2020.

For myself, I personally wish sports and politics did not mix. Unfortunately, the reality is sports and politics do mix, and they have mixed pretty much for all time. The intensity of how sports and politics mix constantly changes as the years go on and can rage for a small to no mix up to a big mix.

With the way the world is currently especially in North America, the sports and politics mix appears set to happen on a more regular and intense basis going forward. Buckle up.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Tkachuk brothers flush politics with fisticuffs at 4 Nations

Early fights allowed Canada/USA game to be enjoyed

Brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk were the MVPs of Saturday night.

Their antics allowed the 4 Nations Face-Off clash between Canada and the United States at the Bell Centre in Montreal to be enjoyed. They both got involved in fights after the respective first two faceoffs of the game.

From that point, the sellout pro-Canadian crowd of 21,105 spectators at the Bell Centre and I dare say those watching the contest on TV networks in both countries felt free to enjoy the game. The USA prevailed by a 3-1 score that included an empty-net goal.

Heading into that contest in that best-versus-best tournament that includes Finland and Sweden, most watching the game on the Canadian front were likely watching for the political story. That story was crowds at Canadian hosted NHL and NBA games were booing the national anthem of the United States due to the tariff and trade war policies enacted against Canada via executive orders by United States President Donald Trump.

The United States national anthem was booed before Thursday’s contest at the Bell Centre that saw the USA down Finland 6-1.

On Saturday in the clash between Canada and the United States, the crowd did boo the entire singing of the United States national anthem.

The crowd proceeded to sing O Canada in traditional bilingual form singing the Canadian national anthem in French before switching to English at the line, “God keep our land.”

At that point, the Tkachuk brothers ensured politics were forgotten for the next three hours. Off the opening faceoff, Matthew, who is a United States forward, engaged Canadian forward Brandon Hagel in a crowd-pleasing staged fight.

On the ensuing faceoff, younger brother Brady set to take the draw against Sam Bennett of Canada. After one second ticked off the clock, Brady and Bennett went at it in a second crowd-pleasing staged fight. When Brady was escorted off to the penalty box, he exchanged “fives” with brother Matthew before getting in the box.

As a bonus in the bout department, a six-second shift ensued that ended in a scrum around the Team Canada net. United States forward J.T. Miller and Canadian defenceman Colton Parayko came out of that scrum engaged in a big fight. After officials broke up that bout, the Bell Centre was rocking like the old Montreal Forum in NHL rivalry clashes that involved the Montreal Canadiens and the Quebec Nordiques in the 1980s.

At that point in time, it is safe to say no one was thinking about politics unless they were a “political animal” that only thinks about politics. Anyone watching that game was glued to looking at the action to see what happens next. All of a sudden, it felt like those who were watching the game were allowed to have the freedom to watch the game and even enjoy it.

During post-game interviews that were shown on television, the word “politics” wasn’t brought up when the Tkachuk brothers were interviewed. They said they were just trying to do something that would get everybody focused on the game and the idea of the staged fights was dreamed up earlier that day.

Of course, Brady is the captain of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators and Matthew played for the NHL’s Calgary Flames before being traded to the Florida Panthers and winning a Stanley Cup with the Panthers last season. Their father, Keith Tkachuk, was a popular power forward with the first version of the Winnipeg Jets. The Tkachuk family knows how passionate Canadian fans are when it comes to the game of hockey.

During their hockey careers, Matthew and Brady have relished playing the role of villain. While they love their home fans, you get the feeling they extra energized when they go into an opposition rink and they know they are going to be booed and heckled.

It can be argued that the last player to relish being a villain even more than the Tkachuk brothers was all-time agitator and top tier scorer Theo Fleury.

It was only fitting that if there were going to be any staged fights to start Saturday’s battled between Canada and the United States, the Tkachuk brothers would be involved. All that fans that boo and heckle the Tkachuk brothers have to admit they would love it if they played on their favourite hockey team.

To see an example of a villain getting love, all one has to do was look at Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand playing for Canada on Saturday. While Montreal hockey fans despise the Bruins, they cheered Marchand every time he got near the puck.

Also, big time credit has to be given to Hagel and Bennett for stepping up on the staged fight dance card along with Miller and Parayko for taking part in the third fight in the game’s first nine seconds.

In the current day, hockey is pretty tame and not a lot of old school happenings occur in the fight department at any level of the sport. Even for myself, I am 15 years removed from seeing antics similar to the Canada versus United States clash on Saturday in the fight department happening at any level - especially at the start of a hockey game.

Following those three bouts, Canada and the United States played a typical intense and tight checking style of NHL post-season game.

Canada scored first at the 5:31 mark of the opening frame when defenceman Drew Doughty sprung all-world forward Connor McDavid into the United States zone on a stretch pass. McDavid lifted a backhand shot over the glove of United States netminder Connor Hellebuyck for a 1-0 lead.

At the 10:15 mark of the first, United States forward Jake Guentzel put a shot between the legs of Canadian netminder Jordan Binnington to even the score at 1-1.

The United States took a 2-1 lead at the 13:33 mark of the second when Canadian legend Sidney Crosby uncharacteristically gave the puck away with an ill-advised cross ice pass just inside the blue-line of the United States zone. The USA broke up ice the other way on a two-on-one break that ended with forward Dylan Larkin firing home the winning goal blocker side on Binnington.

Guentzel rounded out the game’s scoring with an empty-net tally with 1:19 remaining in the third to complete a two-goal night.

Binnington turned away 20-of-22 shots for Canada. Hellebuyck stopped 25 shots for the United States.

Matthew didn’t play the final 12:36 of the contest due to an apparent injury and stayed on the United States bench. He told reporters after the game that he would be fine.

The win allows the United States to improve to 2-0 and earn a spot in the tournament final set for Thursday at the TD Garden in Boston. Canada has an overtime win and regulation loss and sits tied with two points in the tournament standings with Finland, who has an extra time win and a regulation loss, and Sweden, who has two extra time losses.

Canada plays Finland on Monday, while the United States faces Sweden. Both those contests will be at the TD Garden.

Overall, the specter of politics will still hang over this tournament.

Still, it was fantastic that the Tkachuk brothers made sure Saturday night was alright, even if it was just for a few hours.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Raiders wipe out Wheaties 7-3

Sloan Stanick had a pair of goals and an assist for the Raiders.

The Prince Albert Raiders are heating up at home.

On Saturday, the Raiders thumped the Brandon Wheat Kings 7-3 in a WHL regular season clash to the delight of 2,428 spectators at the team’s storied home rink in the Art Hauser Centre. The Raiders have now won six straight games at home.

With Saturday’s win, the Raiders improve to 24-25-1-3 and vault to seventh in the WHL’s Eastern Conference standings. Prince Albert sits one standings point ahead of the Lethbridge Hurricanes (24-23-3) and the Calgary Hitmen (22-21-6-1) who are tied for the eighth and ninth positions in the conference standings. The Hurricanes and Hitmen both have three games in hand on the Raiders.

Saturday’s clash between the Raiders and Wheat kings started out as a bit of a back-and-forth affair. Centre Nolan Flamand scored 10 seconds into the contest for the Wheat Kings to give the visitors a 1-0 edge.

The lead didn’t last long as Raiders 20-year-old right-winger Sloan Stanick scored at the 3:57 mark of the first to even the score a 1-1. Wheat Kings star 20-year-old left-winger Brett Hyland tallied on the power play at the 6:35 mark of the opening frame to put the visitors back out in front 2-1.

Raiders import left-winger Krzysztof Macias scored to force a 2-2 tie at the 8:30 mark of the third. Following Macias’s tally, Raiders rookie right-winger Oli Chenier, who turned 17-years-old in late January, potted his 10^th goal of the campaign with his squad working on the power play to put the hosts up 3-2.

At the 8:29 mark of the second, Raiders 19-year-old right-winger Niall Crocker scored short-handed to push Prince Albert’s lead out to 4-2. With 69 seconds remaining in the second, Wheat Kings import centre Dominik Petr tallied to cut the Raiders lead to 4-3.

The Raiders proceeded to pull away from there in the third. Macias, Crocker and Stanick all netted their respective second goals of the contest to round out the 7-3 final score in the Raiders favour. Macias, Crocker and Stanick all finished with three point nights each collecting two goals and one assist.

Max Hildebrand stopped 21 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Raiders. Ethan Eskit turned away 38 shots to take the setback in goal for the Wheat Kings, who fell to 26-20-5-1.

The Raiders were still without star 17-year-old right-winger Ryder Ritchie. Back on December 15, 2023, Ritchie was on the receiving end of a knee-on-knee hit from Kelowna Rockets 19-year-old left-winger Max Graham in a 4-3 setback to the Rockets at the Art Hauser Centre. Ritchie is listed as being out week to week.

The Raiders were also without 16-year-old rookie centre Luke Moroz on Saturday. Moroz went down at the 8:21 mark of the third period of a 6-1 loss on Friday to the Blades in Saskatoon after being on the receiving end of a cross check from Blades captain Trevor Wong. Wong received a minor infraction on the play.

The Raiders are now off until this coming Friday when they travel to Medicine Hat to face the Tigers (7 p.m. local time, Co-op Place).

The Wheat Kings get back at it this coming Thursday when they travel to Moose Jaw to face the Warriors (7 p.m., Moose Jaw Events Centre).

Hansen lifts Blades to eighth straight win

Egor Sidorov scored the Blades first goal on Saturday.

Defensive centre Lukas Hansen put on the hero’s cape to deliver the Saskatoon Blades to an eighth straight win.

On Saturday playing in front of 2,610 spectators at the InnovationPlex in Swift Current, the Blades found themselves locked in a 2-2 tie against the host Broncos going into the final 10 minutes of the third period. At the 11:28 mark of the third, Hansen scored his 11^th goal of the season that ultimately delivered the Blades to a 3-2 victory. The tally was Hansen’s fourth winner of the season.

In the final seconds of the third, Hansen came up with a big shot block to help preserve the win for the visitors.

The eighth straight win allowed the Blades to improve their WHL leading record to 39-9-2-3. They also officially locked up a berth in the WHL Playoffs.

Saskatoon took a 1-0 lead over Swift Current in Saturday’s clash with a first period power-play goal from star import right-winger Egor Sidorov.

At the 5:20 mark of the second, Blades star overage centre Easton Armstrong was given a major penalty for goaltender interference and a game misconduct. That infraction will be automatically reviewed by the WHL office for a possible suspension. The Broncos were unable to score on that five-minute power play.

The hosts would even the score at 1-1 in the second with a tally from 18-year-old left-winger Brady Birnie.

At the 3:26 mark of the third, Blades star 19-year-old left-winger Brandon Lisowsky netted his 30^th goal of the season to put the Blades up 2-1. Lisowsky has now scored 30-or-more goals in three straight seasons for the Blades.

Broncos sophomore left-winger Clarke Caswell evened the score a short time later scoring at the 5:01 mark of the third to force a 2-2 tie.

That set the stage for Hansen to deliver his heroics to close out the contest.

Austin Elliott stopped 24 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Blades. Joey Rocha turned away 24 shots to take the setback in net for the Broncos, who fell to 26-19-4-2.

Blades captain Trevor Wong finished the contest with a pair of assists.

The Blades return to action this coming Friday when they travel to Lethbridge to face the Hurricanes (7 p.m. local time, Enmax Centre).

The Broncos get back at it on Wednesday when they host the Hurricanes (7 p.m., InnovationPlex).

Clark, Shirley have sweet homecoming, other notes

An Emily Clark hockey card.

Emily Clark and Sophie Shirley got the hometown salutes they so rightly deserved.

On Wednesday, the two skilled forwards dressed for Canada’s National Women’s Hockey team in Game 5 of their Rivalry Series against the United States at the SaskTel Centre in their hometown of Saskatoon. A total of 7,576 spectators came out to see the local products wearing Team Canada colours on home ice for the first time.

Clark, who is 28-years-old, has been a veteran with Canada’s senior national team dating back to the 4 Nations Cup in 2014. Shirley, who is 24-years-old, was called up to Canada’s roster just before the start of Game 5.

While they weren’t able to hit the scoreboard in Canada’s 4-2 win on Wednesday, both players had their highlight moments. Clark had a really energetic game that included getting stopped on a first period breakaway. Shirley showed her still getting a good scoring chance off a half toe-drag snapshot.

The win allowed Canada to cut the United States lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.

As the final seconds of the victory on Wednesday ticked away, Team Canada head coach Troy Ryan ensured both Clark and Shirley were on the ice at the same time to be saluted by their hometown crowd.

“It blew my expectations out of the water,” said Clark after Wednesday’s game. “I was feeling the love, our team was feeling the love, and I’m so proud of our group for getting that win for the crowd.

“We showed a lot of character, and this time last year, we had our backs against the wall. We’re just taking it one game at a time. I’m proud of our team and so happy the series is still going.”

“I had about 15 to 20 family in the crowd, and it was a super cool experience for me,” said Shirley on Wednesday. “I know I was called in late, but I just wanted to do my best every time I was out there.

“It was probably in my very first shift, as soon as I got out there, with the atmosphere and being at home with family made it even more exciting for me.”

Canada trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes on Wednesday before rallying for the 4-2 victory.

Brianne Jenner, Ashton Bell, Renata Fast and Laura Stacey netted singles for Canada. Hayley Scamurra and Gabbie Hughes replied with singles for the United States.

Ann-Renee Desbiens stopped 14 shots to pick up the win in goal for Canada. Nicole Hensley turned away 24-of-27 shots to take the setback in goal for the United States.

The hometown treatment for Clark and Shirley turned into warm home province treatment for Game 6 of the series on Friday night at the Brandt Centre in Regina. After playing through a scoreless opening 40 minutes, Canada exploded for three goals in the third to post a 3-0 victory and even the series 3-3.

Clark had Canada’s second goal in the third-period surge. Natalie Spooner had Canada’s first goal, and Sarah Nurse has the third goal for the host country.

Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 27 shots to pick up the shutout win for Canada. Maschmeyer now has 11 career shutouts playing for Canada. Aerin Frankel turned away 19 shots to take the setback in goal for the United States.

Fast played in her 100 career international game for Canada on Friday.

At game’s end Clark and Shirley took a victory lap in front of the Regina crowd.

Canada was down 3-0 in the Rivalry Series before rallying back for three wins. Game 7 is set for Sunday in St. Paul, Minn., (1 p.m. Saskatchewan Time, TSN4).

Last season, Canada trailed the Rivalry Series 3-0 before rallying back with four straight wins to take the set.

• On Saturday in Medicine Hat, the host Tigers trailed the Red Deer Rebels 4-1 after 40 minutes in a WHL regular season encounter. The Tigers roared back with three straight goals in the third and 20-year-old import defenceman Bogdans Hodass scored with 19.8 seconds remaining in overtime to give the hosts a wild 5-4 victory.
• Medicine Hat News sports reporter James Tubb laid out a compelling case for why the City of Medicine Hat and the Medicine Hat Tigers should bid for the 2026 Memorial Cup, which is the CHL’s annual championship tournament. That piece can be found by clicking right here.
• On Saturday in Kelowna, centre Emmitt Finnie scored four times for the visiting Kamloops Blazers as they dumped the host Rockets 7-3. The Rockets led the contest 2-1 after the first period. The Blazers scored three goals in the second to go up 4-2 and roll from there.
• On Saturday in Prince George, 20-year-old right-winger Zac Funk scored a hat trick for the host Cougars as they outlasted the visiting Victoria Royals 9-6. Funk leads the WHL with 49 goals so far this season.
• On Friday, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a story on the sport of cricket in Saskatoon and the growth that sport is seeing in “The Bridge City.” Officials with Cricket Saskatoon said new facilities are needed for cricket in Saskatoon to handle the surging interest in the sport. That piece can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that is highlighted by a visit from members of the Toronto Blue Jays to the Indoor Training Centre along with various winter happenings. That post can be found by clicking right here.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Blades will be fun to watch for rest of 2023-24 campaign

The Blades celebrate a win over the Pats this past Sunday.

Brennan Sonne will get to be the hockey equivalent of the “mad scientist” offensive coordinator you would see in football for the next little bit.

The Saskatoon Blades head coach has a wonderful mix of skilled and good character players to work with for the rest of the current 2023-24 WHL campaign. The Blades sit first overall in the WHL with a 29-8-2-2 record, and they were rated first in the CHL’s Top 10 Rankings that were released on Tuesday. That marks the first time the Blades have topped the CHL Top 10 Rankings this season.

Over a little past the first half of the regular season, Blades general manager Colin Priestner did a fantastic job of solidifying the team’s roster through the trade route. All trades came to a conclusion for the current campaign when the WHL’s trade deadline passed at 4 p.m. Saskatchewan time on January 10.

Priestner was able to add assistance around a solid core group of players in the likes of captain Trevor Wong, Brandon Lisowsky, Egor Sidorov, Vaughn Watterodt, Tyler Parr, Lukas Hansen, Tanner Molendyk, Charlie Wright, Ben Saunderson and Austin Elliott. The biggest additions via the trade route include forwards Fraser Minten, Easton Armstrong, Alexander Suzdalev and defenceman John Babcock.

Fraser Minten in action for the Blades this past Sunday.

Babcock was acquired on trade deadline day in a three-way deal with the Kelowna Rockets and Edmonton Oil Kings. The Blades sent a second round selection in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft and a fourth round pick in the 2026 Prospects Draft to the Rockets and second round Prospects Draft pick in 2026 to the Oil Kings.

The Rockets sent Babcock, who is a sound 19-year-old defensive-defenceman, to the Blades and 17-year-old defenceman Ismail Abougouche to the Oil Kings. The Oil Kings sent 18-year-old defenceman Carter Kowalyk and a fourth round selection in the 2025 Prospects Draft to the Rockets.

Saskatoon had to make some give ups to acquire Suzdalev from the Regina Pats on December 31, 2023 and Minten from the Kamloops Blazers on November 24, 2023. In those two deals, the Blades dealt away three roster players, one list player and six Prospects Draft selections. That included sending the Blazers first round picks in 2024 and 2025 Prospects Drafts and the Pats a first round selection in 2026 Prospects Draft.

Alexander Suzdalev in action for the Blades this past Sunday.

With those moves, the Blades were able to get Minten, Suzdalev and a sixth round pick in the 2025 Prospects Draft.

The Blades didn’t have to give up near that much to get Armstrong from the Wenatchee Wild on October 10, 2023. Due to the fact Armstrong is a 20-year-old, the Blades set the Wild a third round selection in the 2025 Prospects Draft and a conditional sixth round pick in the 2027 Prospects Draft.

Saskatoon acquired 19-year-old defenceman Grayden Siepmann in a significant trade with the Calgary Hitmen on October 10, 2023 and 19-year-old defenceman Nicholas Andrusiak in a deal with the Red Deer Rebels for a fifth round pick in the 2025 Prospects Draft on December 12, 2023. Siepmann and Andrusiak have been solid and consistent since joining the Blades, and their experience has shown through.

With world juniors having wrapped up on January 5, the trade deadline in the rearview mirror and Molendyk having returned from healing up a fractured wrist, this past weekend was the first time the Blades had pretty much everyone on their roster available to be used. They were without two defencemen due upper body injuries in 18-year-old veteran Carter Herman (week-to-week) and rookie Morgan Tastad (day-to-day), who turned 18-years-old on January 10.

Egor Sidorov in action for the Blades this past Saturday.

Both Herman and Tastad can be everyday players, so they will add greatly to the Blades back end depth when they return.

In a 5-4 overtime win over the Victoria Royals this past Saturday and a 6-1 triumph over the Pats this past Sunday both at the SaskTel Centre, the Blades coaches mixed up their forward lines, especially in the clash with the Royals. The line of 19-year-old left-winger Rhett Melnyk, 18-year-old centre Misha Volotovskii and 18-year-old right-winger Rowan Calvert was the one unit that stayed together.

For the victory over the Pats, the Blades coaches put imports Suzdalev and Sidorov together on a line. The two had a strong pre-existing friendship before Suzdalev came over to the Blades. Wong centred the line with Suzdalev playing left wing and Sidorov on right wing.

Still, the Blades coaches have a number of line combinations to tinker with in order to find which forward units have the best chemistry.

For the next week, the Blades should be well tested due to the fact the number one rating in the CHL Top 10 Rankings should see them be a target foes get up a little extra for. The Blades are back at it on Wednesday, when they travel to Red Deer to take on the 22-13-1-4 Rebels (7 p.m. local time, Peavey Mart Centrium).

John Babcock plays for the Blades this past Saturday.

To the credit of the Blades coaches and management, they aren’t getting ahead of themselves. They know having a strong roster doesn’t guarantee success or a long playoff run. They just focus on what they have to do that day to their best of their abilities, and so far good results have followed.

Going forward, this will be a fun Blades team to watch. So far this season, the Blades have done a good job drawing younger fans who are often players on minor hockey teams in Saskatoon and area as the team has averaged 4,972 spectators over 18 home dates. The ground work the Blades players put in for years with elementary school visits and making guest coach appearances with minor hockey teams is paying off.

The youngsters bring a good healthy enthusiasm that creates a great atmosphere to the games. It is evident those Blades players on the ice are their heroes.

If you follow the lead of the youngsters as a ticket buyer, the SaskTel Centre is going to be a great place to be.

Rivalry Series game set for Feb. 7 in Saskatoon, other notes

Emily Clark walks out to the SaskTel Centre in November of 2018.

For the first time since 2018, the SaskTel Centre will get to play host one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.

On Wednesday, February 7 at 7 p.m., Canada’s senior national women’s hockey team will face the United States in Game 5 of the Rivalry Series. The U.S. leads the 2023-24 edition of the seven-game series 3-1 heading into Game 5 in Saskatoon.

Canada took Game 4 of the set 3-2 after a tiebreaking shootout back on December 16, 2023 at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia, Ont. Last season, the U.S. won the first three games of the series, but Canada rallied back taking the last four contests to capture the series win.

Canada’s roster will feature power forward and 28-year-old Saskatoon product Emily Clark. Clark has one goal over the first four games of the series. She is an assistant captain with Ottawa’s team in the PWHL and has played two games with the Ottawa side.

Clark is an alumna of the Saskatoon Stars Female Under-18 AAA Hockey Team.

The last time Canada and the U.S. played against each other in Saskatoon was back on November 10, 2018 in the championship game of the 4 Nations Cup tournament held at the SaskTel Centre. The U.S. claimed a 5-2 victory in that encounter.

Clark wasn’t able to play at that 4 Nations Cup due to an injured left leg.

• Saskatoon product Berkly Catton is having a sensational sophomore WHL season playing centre for the Spokane Chiefs. Appearing in all the Chiefs 39 games this season, Catton has posted 64 points coming off 27 goals and 37 assists to go with a plus-11 rating in the plus-minus department. Catton turned 18-years-old on Sunday. Entering play on Wednesday, he sits seventh in the WHL’s scoring race.
• Gavin McKenna is having an outstanding rookie season playing left wing for the Medicine Hat Tigers. In 36 games with the Tigers, McKenna has 52 points coming off 17 goals and 35 assists. McKenna turned 16-years-old on December 20, 2023. Due to his December birthday, McKenna will play two more full more seasons in the WHL before becoming eligible for the NHL Entry Draft in 2026.
• On January 9, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a feature on 16-year-old Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club skater Melissa Scutchings, who skated in the Canada Winter Games that ran February 18 to March 5, 2023 across Prince Edward Island. The piece on Scutchings can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that shows photos of some of the facilities at the Complex on January 3 when warm weather winter conditions still existed. The photo roundup also showed fun at the Indoor Training Centre. That post can be found by clicking right here.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

X (formerly Twitter) worst social media platform of all-time

Connor Bedard in action for the Pats this past April.

X – formerly known as Twitter – is the worst social media platform of all-time.

If I never used what I now call Platform-X ever again, I would be perfectly fine with that. Due to working in media and communications, I still have to be on that social media platform. With the toxicity that exists on that platform, I have limited my posts to the courtesy sharing of information on the sports world.

For my blog, I mainly cover the happenings with the WHL, the Saskatoon Hilltops of the CJFL, the Saskatoon Valkyries of the WWCFL and U Sports.

Thanks to how toxic Platform-X has become, I find people that look for information on those leagues and teams I listed are mainly no longer on that social media platform anymore. The ones that are on that platform are usually saying something quite awful and cutting using an anonymous account.

My best interactions on Platform-X come from fan talk about pro-wrestling specifically WWE and AEW with the Era of Bliss fan account and one of the best persons to come from the province of Quebec in Patrick Mercier. Even with that, you can run into toxic accounts that wants to jump into your fun chat and ruin your day.

Last week, Platform-X continued to prove why it is the worst social media platform of all time. Early last week on November 27, I was putting a house keeping sports information post on Platform-X.

At that time, two days had passed after the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks announced right-winger Corey Perry would take an indefinite leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. I encountered an endless line of posts regarding the family of Blackhawks 18-year-old rookie superstar centre Connor Bedard and Perry.

Having dealt with Bedard and his family when he played in the WHL for the Regina Pats, my first thought was, “This is utterly ridiculous.”

After scanning those posts for 30 seconds of my time I will never get back, I created the posts I set out to create and got off that social media platform.

As the week progressed, it was easy to follow how that story developed without putting in much effort as it regularly came up on sports talk shows and sports news shows. The Blackhawks placed Perry on unconditional waivers on November 28, and after he cleared waivers the following day, the NHL club terminated his contract.

Of course, it came out the rumours were garbage. Perry came out with an apology for an incident that got him released and said he was seeking professional help for substance abuse.

Last Friday a day before playing the Jets in Winnipeg, Bedard met the media in the Manitoba capital. The question about the rumours came up and also how the rumours affected his family and himself.

Bedard handled the queries with a maturity way beyond his years. He said what happened wasn’t fair to him or his family, but they can’t control those things and they just go on and live life.

A picture of the front login page to Platform-X.

Bedard also added what happened with Perry was serious and the first concern was that he is OK and his family is OK. Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun actually did a terrific job with his piece on what Bedard has dealt with in his NHL rookie year, and that piece can be found by clicking right here.

The fact Bedard, who doesn’t have a Platform-X account, and his family had to deal with this was an absolute joke. To show how stupid Platform-X and society of today has become, Edmonton Oilers superstar centre Connor McDavid never had to deal with anything like that as an NHL rookie in 2015-16.

Believe it or not, I found Platform-X to be a good social media line at one time. The first few years after I created an account on it back in 2010 it was great.

The mechanics of the social media platform worked well. You also knew that platform was a social media line where you posted things out in public which the whole world could see.

I found Platform-X took a turn for the worst around the time of November 8, 2016, when Donald Trump won his election race to become president of the United States. That started the rise of the extreme right holding the notion that, “If you aren’t with us, you’re against us.”

The extreme left has responded with similar rhetoric and positioning. On Platform-X seemingly through anonymous accounts, that type of rhetoric played out like promos you would see on WWE shows.

That type of positioning spread to discussion on all sorts of subjects including the happenings in the sports world and entertainment world. Platform-X was and still is the spot where all the bashing occurs.

For a lot of people, the endless toxicity has chased them away from Platform-X.

For myself, I found the 2018-19 sports season where the Prince Albert Raiders won the WHL championship was the last campaign where my posts regarding the amateur sports world that I cover saw a lot of action on Platform-X. When a post does get noticed now, it usually has idiots taking it on a tangent that goes to a dark place that was not intended.

Unfortunately, more stupid will come sooner than later.

On Friday at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre, the Saskatoon Blades host the Red Deer Rebels in a WHL regular season contest, and the Blades will be holding their “Pride Night” promotion for a third straight season. In the building, that promotion is a healthy and warm celebration that honours LGBTQ+ community that is well received by those in attendance.

The Blades use that night to spread a message that hockey is for all. Unfortunately in the past two years on social media, the worst of society has made the most horrible of comments on the team’s social media lines in posts promoting their “Pride Night” game.

A Blades “Pride Night” post on Platform-X.

The Blades came out with their first posts this week on Tuesday leading to that promotion. I feared what I would find on Platform-X, because it seemed like the worst comments came out there the past two seasons.

The comments on Platform-X and Facebook have been good so far. I found numerous cringe comments on the Instagram post on Tuesday afternoon.

Still, Platform-X is the place that constantly turns discussions into a match in a UFC cage. The behavior of the baddies won’t change on there.

Unfortunately, that means for a lot of people it is time to kick that social media platform to the curve, and lots have done that. I wish I could follow suit, but limiting my time on that platform as much as possible is working for me.

Blades pair off to Canada’s world junior selection camp

Tanner Molendyk will try and make Canada’s world junior team.

Two members of the Saskatoon Blades will have a chance to make their world junior dreams come true for Canada.

On Tuesday, Blades offensive-defenceman Tanner Molendyk and centre Fraser Minten were named as two of the 30 players invited to the selection camp for Canada’s world junior team. The selection camp runs from December 10 to 13 in Oakville, Ont.

The upcoming world juniors are slated for December 26 to January 5, 2024 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

In 23 games with the Blades this season, Molendyk, who has a signed NHL entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators, has recorded four goals, 23 assists and a plus-20 rating in the plus-minus department.

Minten, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Kamloops Blazers, has a signed NHL entry-level contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He appeared in four NHL regular season games with the Leafs before being returned to the WHL. In 11 combined games with the Blazers and Blades, Minten had four goals and nine assists.

A total of nine players from the WHL were invited to the selection camp for Canada’s world junior team. Brayden Yager, who is from the Saskatoon area, was the only player with a hometown in Saskatchewan to be invited to the selection camp.

In 25 games with the Warriors this season, Yager has recorded 17 goals, 22 assists and plus-14 rating. Yager was selected in the first round and 14^th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL Entry Draft held this past June.

Blazers head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston will serve as an assistant coach for Canada’s entry at this season’s world juniors. Lethbridge Hurricanes general manager Peter Anholt serves as the under-20 lead for the Program of Excellence management group.

One player who was omitted from the selection camp for Canada’s world junior team is WHL leading scorer Riley Heidt. Heidt, who is a Prince George Cougars centre, has recorded 53 points coming off 14 goals and 39 assists to go with a plus-10 rating in the plus-minus department in 26 regular season games.

The Saskatoon area product was selected in the second round and 64^th overall by the Minnesota Wild in last June’s NHL Entry Draft.

Near named incoming WHL commissioner, other notes

A WHL Instagram post welcoming Dan Near.

Dan Near has been tabbed as the WHL’s next head person.

Last Thursday, the WHL announced that Near will be the incoming commissioner of the circuit. The announcement was made by Ron Toigo, who was the chair of the WHL Commissioner Search Committee and governor of the Vancouver Giants on behalf of the WHL board of governors.

Near’s tenure in the WHL office will begin on January 1, 2024 as he transitions into the role of commissioner. He will officially take over the full responsibilities as WHL commissioner on February 15, 2024.

At that point, current WHL commissioner Ron Robison will transition to an advisory role providing support and guidance to Near.

The 43-year-old Near served as the global head of Adidas Hockey and was responsible for leading Adidas’s entry into hockey managing their global business since 2016. Prior to his time with Adidas, Near, who is a product of Markham, Ont., spent 10 years with the NHL’s head office in New York specializing in marketing, retail development and consumer product licensing from 2006 to 2016.

Last June, Robison, who is an alumnus of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Men’s Hockey Team, announced the 2023-24 campaign would be his last as commissioner of the WHL. He took over that role on September 15, 2000. The 68-year-old product of Indian Head, Sask., will depart as the longest serving commissioner in the history of the WHL.

Before joining the WHL as commissioner, Robison spent about 19 years with Hockey Canada.

• On Tuesday, Gunner Kinniburgh, who is a third-year defenceman with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Men’s Hockey Team, was named to the U Sports all-star team that will face Canada’s world junior hopefuls in a pair of exhibition games as part of Canada’s selection camp to pick its world junior team. Kinniburgh has two goals, four assists and a plus-14 rating in 16 games with the Huskies. The exhibition games between the U Sports all-stars and Canada’s world junior hopefuls will be held December 12 and 13 in Oakville, Ont. Former Saskatoon Blades members in defenceman Scott Walford, who played for the McGill University Martlets, and forward Eric Florchuk, who plays for the University of Alberta Golden Bears, will also be members of the U Sports all-star squad.
• A total of three WHL squads cracked into the latest CHL Top 10 Rankings, which were released on Tuesday. The Prince George Cougars were rated second, the Saskatoon Blades were ranked sixth and the Wenatchee Wild came in at eighth.
• It appears the odds of 18-year-old forward Zach Benson being returned to the NHL have decreased. Benson has played in 16 games for the Buffalo Sabres collecting two goals and five assists. Once he hit his 10^th game played in the regular season for the Sabres in the current campaign, the Sabres committed to burning the first year of Benson’s three-year NHL entry-level contract. The Sabres selected Benson in the first round and 13^th overall in last June’s NHL Entry Draft. Benson’s WHL rights belong to the Wenatchee Wild.
• Saskatoon product and 19-year-old defenceman Kevin Korchinski has two goals and five assists playing 24 games this season for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks selected Korchinski in the first round and seventh overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Korchinski’s WHL rights belong to the Seattle Thunderbirds, who won the WHL championship last season. Korchinski could be returned to the WHL, but he will be owed the entirety of the first year of his three-year NHL entry-level contract.
• The WHL’s trade deadline is set for January 10, 2024.
• Christine Sinclair’s career with Canada’s National Women’s Soccer Team was the ultimate “smile because it happened” time. It was fitting Canada blanked Australia 1-0 in a friendly on Tuesday night in Vancouver in Sinclair's final game with the Canadian national team. Kudos to the management at B.C. Place to change the name of the venue to Christine Sinclair Place for the night of the game. She deserves all the tributes that come her way.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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