Memorial Cup nix part of déjà vu moments in Canadian sports

The Acadie-Bathurst Titan celebrate a Memorial Cup win in 2018.

The sports world in Canada seems to like 2020 reruns in 2021.

The 2020 reruns are being caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The pandemic was unfortunately running in full force in 2020, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down any in 2021 as variants add another difficult layer in trying to deal with it.

That is forcing government restrictions in various degrees around the world to stay in force in order to combat the pandemic.

Vaccines are rolling out across Canada, but life is still far from the normal experienced pre-pandemic.

On Tuesday, the Canadian Hockey League officially announced the Memorial Cup tournament was cancelled for 2021 marking the second straight year major junior hockey’s championship event was nixed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 event was to be played in one of Oshawa, Ont., or Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

The host city was never finalized and no dates were ever set for the tournament.

The 2020 Memorial Cup was supposed to be held in Kelowna, B.C., before it was called off due to the pandemic.

The cancellation hardly comes as a surprise when looking at the three major junior leagues that make up the CHL.

The QMJHL has attempted to hold a 2020-21 campaign that has included many stops and starts due to positive COVID-19 tests. Most teams have played on average 35 games.

The circuit is looking to start playoffs with action involving the teams paced in the province of Quebec on April 23.

The WHL’s four divisions had staggered and very late starts with each team playing a 24-game developmental regular season. 

The Red Deer Rebels enjoy a win at the 2016 Memorial Cup.

The Central Division began play in late February and the other three divisions hit the ice at different times in March.

Positive COVID-19 tests have caused some schedule reshuffling for the Central and B.C. Divisions.

The OHL hasn’t been able to start its 2020-21 regular season, and with Ontario once again experiencing stricter lockdown measures, it seems like a matter of time before the 2020-21 OHL campaign is outright cancelled without hitting the ice.

In a statement, CHL president Dan MacKenzie said a number of considerations were taken into account when it came to cancelling the Memorial Cup.

“The CHL is committed to the health and safety of our players, their families and billets, our teams, staff and officials, and the communities is which we play,” said MacKenzie in a statement. “The decision was made based on the limitations on travel, border restrictions, and quarantining requirements that would make it impossible to produce league champions.”

The CHL said the timing and location of the 2022 Memorial Cup would be announced at a later date.

For all sports in Canada, it appears limitations on travel, border restrictions and quarantine requirements will remain issues for the foreseeable future especially with regards to interprovincial and national competitions. Those were issues sports in Canada were still dealing with last year at this time.

In the CFL, stories are again circulating about that league talking to the Canadian federal government about financial assistance to play a 2021 campaign. That feels like a repeat of last year, when the CFL ultimately couldn’t secure funds to get back on the field.

Speculation is starting to rise that the CFL will push back the start of its 2021 campaign. Similar speculation was going down at this time last year.

One difference in the realm of the CFL this year compared to last year at this time is there were no talks about forming a partnership with the XFL. For the about the past month, there has been a tonne of speculation about what a CFL and XFL partnership could look like, or if it even will ultimately happen.

As the calendar progresses, one wonders what the summer sports season will look like when it rolls out.

Regina is hoping to hold the Canadian Masters Athletics Track and Field Championships from Aug. 27 to 29.

Cody Fajardo in action for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2019.

While that event is still listed as being on for the moment, Athletics Canada has already cancelled the Legions Youth Track and Field Championships, which were set for Aug. 6 to 8 in Sherbrooke, Que.

You can bet a few minor sports governing bodies in Canada will have mixed messages like that when it comes to scheduling. That happened last year too at this time.

As September approaches, one wonders if speculation will begin again about when major junior hockey or U Sports seasons will start up.

Right now in Canada, everything is the sports world hangs on whether mass vaccinations will make the COVID-19 pandemic go away. The actions of society in Canada and for North America for that matter don’t make any other option possible.

For the moment, it appears what happened in the Canadian sports world in 2020 is set to repeat in 2021.

Dach back rolling with NHL’s Blackhawks

SNIPE 🚀

Kirby Dach sets up Brandon Hagel perfectly to net the @SUBWAYCanada OT winner! pic.twitter.com/y0zVLcYyAZ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 13, 2021

Kirby Dach is back, and he is on a roll.

The alumnus of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades has appeared in nine games this season for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks posting one goal, four assists and minus-one rating in the plus-minus department.

Back on Dec. 23, 2020, the Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., product fractured his right wrist playing for Canada in an exhibition game in a bubble environment at Rogers Arena in Edmonton, Alta., just before world juniors. 

Kirby Dach in action for the Saskatoon Blades in 2018-19.

Dach, who was Canada’s captain, injured his wrist on what seemed like a harmless bodycheck in a 1-0 victory over Russia.

Dach, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 197 pounds, was originally expected to be out four to five months, which would have pegged his return for late April.

The 20-year-old centre made his return to the Blackhawks on March 27 in a 3-1 loss to the visiting Nashville Predators.

On Monday, Dach made the highlight rounds on social media for his beautiful set up pass to linemate Brandon Hagel, who netted the OT winner in the Blackhawks 4-3 victory over the Blue Jackets in Columbus.

Dach’s return is a welcome one for the Blackhawks, who have a 20-18-5 record going into their game Thursday against the Red Wings in Detroit. The Blackhawks are looking to make a push for the final playoff berth in the NHL’s Central Division sitting fifth and four points out of a post-season berth.

Maier equals Blades career shutout record, other notes

Nolan Maier tied the Blades career shutouts record.

Nolan Maier is on the cusp of taking sole ownership of another career Saskatoon Blades goaltending record.

On Wednesday playing in the WHL East Division bubble at the Brandt Centre in Regina, the product of Yorkton, Sask., made 27 saves to back the Blades to a 3-0 regular season victory over the Swift Current Broncos. The win was the ninth career shutout Maier has collected in regular season play.

Maier, who has one season of WHL eligibility remaining, equaled the Blades record for career regular season shutouts held by Andrey Makarov. Makarov collected his nine regular season shutouts playing two seasons for the Blades from 2011 to 2013.

Maier, who stands 6-feet and weighs 173 pounds, holds the Blades career regular season goaltending wins record, which currently sits at 89 victories.

In the first period of Wednesday’s contest, veteran right-winger Blake Stevenson scored twice in the first period to give the Blades a 2-0 lead. Captain Chase Wouters rounded out the scoring for the Blades with a single early in the second period.

Isaac Poulter made 37 saves to take the setback in goal for the Broncos.

The Blades improved to 13-2-2 with the win, while the Broncos fell to 3-13-1.

The Blades return to action on Thursday, when they face the Regina Pats (6-8-2-1) at 4 p.m. at the Brandt Centre. The Broncos get back at it on Friday, when they face the Winnipeg Ice at 6 p.m. at the Brandt Centre.

• Last Thursday, The Canadian Press came out with story that said Canada Soccer, Curling Canada, Hockey Canada, Rugby Canada, Skate Canada and Tennis Canada have joined forces in asking the Canadian federal government for a $75-million sport recovery program. Those bodies want that program to support local and grassroots initiatives for all sports still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. The story on CBC’s website can be found by clicking right here.
• On Monday, the Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio picked up his 200^th career regular season win. Kisio’s Hurricanes downed visiting Red Deer Rebels 8-5 in a WHL regular season clash for the milestone victory. Kisio became the Hurricanes head coach on June 4, 2015.
• On Monday, Saskatoon Blades centre Tristen Robins was named the WHL play of the week. He picked up four goals and five assists in four games for the week ending on Sunday. The Blades posted a 3-0-1 record over those four games. Regina Pats overager Roddy Ross was named the WHL goaltender of the week. Ross won both his appearances for the week ending on Sunday posting a 0.99 goals against average and a .964 save percentage.
• On Tuesday, the WHL announced the Medicine Hat Tigers have been cleared to return to team activities. Last week, the Calgary Hitmen had a player in their team cohort test positive for COVID-19, and the Tigers were deemed close contacts after falling 5-4 after a tiebreaking shootout on April 5 at Co-Op Place in Medicine Hat. Since the positive result from the one player on the Hitmen, the Tigers have continued to test negative allowing for the clearance to play. The Tigers will host the Red Deer Rebels on Friday in Medicine Hat.
• On Tuesday, the WHL announced the Kelowna Rockets were cleared starting Wednesday to resume team activities after all individuals in the team cohort tested negative for COVID-19. The Rockets entered a league mandated 14-day isolation period following the discovery of a positive COVID-19 test on March 30. Shortly after going into isolation, the Rockets had seven other members in their team cohort test positive for COVID-19. Since the club wasn’t involved in team activities and in isolation at that time, the positive tests didn’t effect when the Rockets would return to play. The Rockets are slated to play the Prince George Cougars on Saturday at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, B.C.
• On Tuesday, former Medicine Hat Tigers import netminder Mads Sogaard signed a three-year entry-level NHL contract with the Ottawa Senators. The Senators selected the product of Aalborg, Denmark, in the second round and 37^th overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Sogaard, who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 201 pounds, played two seasons for the Tigers from 2018 to 2020 appearing in 74 WHL regular season games posting a 40-21-6 record, a 2.58 goals against average, a .915 save percentage and three shutouts.
• On Tuesday, Calgary Flames left-winger Milan Lucic played in his 1,000^th career NHL regular season game. The 32-year-old had an assist and won a fight in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Maple Leafs in Toronto. After the Flames 4-1 victory over the Canadiens in Montreal on Wednesday, Lucic, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 231 pounds, has appeared in 1,001 NHL regular season games posting 213 goals, 325 assists, 1,166 penalty minutes and a plus-81 rating. He broke into the NHL in 2007 with the Boston Bruins and also spent time with the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers. Before joining the NHL, Lucic helped his hometown Vancouver Giants win a WHL title in 2006 and the Memorial Cup title in 2007 playing in the CHL championship tournament as the host team.
• On Tuesday, organizers for the annual Country Thunder music festival set in Craven, Sask., announced that event has been cancelled for a second straight year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s Country Thunder was scheduled to be held July 8 to 11.
• On Tuesday, Gregg Drinnan wrote a piece in his Taking Note blog, where he gave another run down on how the COVID-19 pandemic is still wrecking havoc on the sports world. His Tuesday piece led with announcement in Buffalo, New York, that stated all spectators looking to attend home games of the NFL’s Bills and NHL’s Sabres will have to show proof of being vaccinated for COVID-19 before being allowed into those team’s home venues. Drinnan’s piece can be found by clicking right here.
• On Wednesday, former Moose Jaw Warriors and University of Alberta Golden Bears men’s hockey team netminder Zach Sawchenko signed an NHL entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks, which runs through the end of the 2021-22 campaign. The 23-year-old, Calgary, Alta., product has split time this season with the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL and Allen Americans in the ECHL. Sawchenko, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 185 pounds, played four seasons in the WHL for the Warriors from 2013 to 2017 appearing in 177 regular season games posting an 88-65-16 record, a 3.11 goals against average, a .908 save percentage and nine shutouts. In two seasons with the Golden Bears from 2017 to 2019, Sawchenko appeared in 34 regular season games posting a 28-4-1 record, a 1.74 goals against average, a .919 save percentage and five shutouts. He helped the Golden Bears win the David Johnston University Cup as U Sports champions in 2017-18.

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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