Dale is the real deal, deserves spot with Hilltops

Emmarae Dale practises with the Hilltops on Thursday.

The praise and attention has continued to pour in since the Saskatoon Hilltops announced linebacker Emmarae Dale has joined the storied and historic CJFL club, and all the accolades are deserved.

The Hilltops announced Tuesday morning Dale has officially been added to their roster. Since that time, the social media posts the club put out about the announcement have gone viral.

At the time this post went live, the Hilltops post on Dale’s announcement on Facebook has drawn 944 reactions and has been shared 726 times. The Twitter post has been retweeted 504 times and like over 1,700 times.

The Instagram post has been liked over 1,100 times.

The subsequent posts others have created about Dale being added to the Hilltops roster have attracted countless likes and shares. The Western Woman’s Canadian Football League powerhouse Saskatoon Valkyries, who Dale played for from 2016 to 2019, have seen their congratulatory Facebook post draw 266 reactions and be shared 167 times.

Emmarae Dale is the first female to make the Hilltops roster.

Since Tuesday morning’s announcement, Dale has been on seemingly a barnstorming tour doing media interviews across Western Canada.

One thing that shouldn’t be lost amongst all the media attention is Dale deserves this opportunity.

The Hilltops have won 22 CJFL championships in their history and the last six CJFL titles in a row. This isn’t an organization that needs to do a publicity stunt like this.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, who is the all-time leader in amateur post-secondary wins in Canada, and defensive coordinator Jeff Yausie aren’t the type of people who will put players on the team as a novelty.

They put players on the team they believe will be able to play and contribute in games. 

Emmarae Dale has done a tonne of media interviews this week.

In bringing on board the first female players the Hilltops have ever had on their roster and the first female player to be in the CJFL, both Sargeant and Yausie are aware enough that they will not put someone in a position where they will fail or not be able to handle things.

Dale is a very mature young woman at the age of 22. She is an elite athlete with special gifts in the speed, power and strength departments.

On top of her natural athletic abilities, Dale is an experienced football player. She hit the field for four seasons as a middle linebacker with the Saskatoon Valkyries from 2016 to 2019 helping them win WWCFL titles in 2016 and 2019.

Yausie was the Valkyries head coach in Dale’s first year with the team and defensive coordinator in Dale’s second year with that squad. As a result, Yausie has a strong idea of what Dale can do as a player.

Emmarae Dale (#45) makes a tackle for the Valkyries in 2016.

Dale was voted the Valkyries most outstanding defensive player in 2017 and 2019.

She has been a dominate player in the WWCFL since stepping on the field as a rookie. Dale is a fireplug standing at 5-foot-6, and she can flat out fly to the ball.

She has a natural instinct to know where the ball is going on the football field, and her ability to read plays is second to none.

Even with the handful of workouts she has had with the Hilltops veterans, Dale has shown the ability to understand and breakdown plays, when the Hilltops have done non-contact offense versus defence sets.

Dale’s football knowledge is aided by the fact two of her older brothers in Anthony and Donovan played for the Hilltops in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Anthony played on the offensive line, while Donovan suited up on the defensive line.

Emmarae Dale (#45) makes a hit in 2019 for the Valkyries.

Besides the exploits in football, Emmarae Dale has been a member of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s track and field team in the U Sports ranks for the past four seasons. Specializing in throws, Dale has helped the Huskies win the Canada West women’s team title in each of the past three seasons.

That adds to showing the well-roundedness of her athletic ability.

On top of her athletic abilities, Dale has other intangibles that make her a good fit for the Hilltops. She has worked out at Ignite Athletics for a number of years, and most of the Hilltops players do their off-season training there.

She already knows a large number of players on the team, and they have seen firsthand how hard she works to get herself in the best shape possible. A respect tangible already exists.

Emmarae Dale (#45) tracks down a QB in 2019.

Dale is also one of the best and most modest and humble first rate persons you will find anywhere.

She approaches life in a mature and good confident way and is very well spoken. Those traits have shown through in the various media interviews she has done over the past week.

Dale has the make up to handle the spotlight and the extra attention that will come her way in the right way.

The best part is the news of her making the Hilltops roster has been warmly received seemingly everywhere. Over social media, you will still find a couple of crank negative comments, which you have to expect will surface in today’s world, but those types of comments have been few and far between.

Thanks to the CJFL ruling that players who were supposed to be 22-years-old this year will be able to play at age 23 next year, Dale will have one season to enjoy her time as member of the Hilltops assuming the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic stops throwing wrenches into how the world operates.

Emmarae Dale and the Valkyries enjoy their 2019 WWCFL title win.

Even with just being on the Hilltops roster, Dale has already accomplished something really special. It is an accomplishment she has earned and deserves.

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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Dale makes history as Hilltops first female player

LB starred with WWCFL’s Valkyries before going to CJFL

Emmarae Dale practises with the Hilltops on Tuesday.

    Emmarae Dale will always hold a special place in the history of the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops.
    On Tuesday, the Hilltops, who have won 22 CJFL titles and the last six CJFL championships in a row, officially added Dale to their roster making her the first female player to play on the storied team. It is believed Dale will be the first female player to suit up in the CJFL.

    The 22-year-old linebacker comes to the Hilltops after starring for four seasons with the Saskatoon Valkyries from 2016 to 2019 helping them win Western Women’s Canadian Football League titles in 2016 and 2019.

    The Hilltops posted the announcement on all their social media accounts Tuesday morning, and the news of Dale joining the squad has gone viral. The current modern version of the Hilltops first took the field in 1947.

    Before the Hilltops hit the field for practice on Tuesday night at Ron Atchison Field, Dale said she enjoyed the excitement of the day.

Emmarae Dale runs back the ball after an interception drill on Tuesday.

    “It kind of feels like the first day I was playing all over again like just jitters and excitement,” said Dale. “It has been an emotional roller-coaster pretty much like since the moment that they posted it.

    “It has been really exciting, and it has been awesome to see all the positive feedback and the support that people have, especially in terms of just growing football as a sport.”

    The wheels on bringing Dale on board with the Hilltops started to roll early this year. One day when the Hilltops were holding an indoor practice at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, Dale crossed paths with Hilltops defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jeff Yausie.

    Yausie was Dale’s head coach with the Valkyries in 2016 and her defensive coordinator in 2017. He presented Dale with the idea about joining the Hilltops.

Emmarae Dale (#45) made lots of big plays for the Valkyries.

    “I figured I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by, so here we are,” said Dale, who stands 5-foot-6.

    When Yausie approached Dale about joining the Hilltops, she was completing her fourth season as a member of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s track and field team specializing in throwing events.

    She helped the Huskies win a third straight Canada West team championship this past season. After the U Sports track and field campaign wrapped up, Dale was expecting to join the Hilltops for workouts around the middle of March, but the coronoavirus (COVID-19) pandemic took hold.

    By March 13, most of the shutdowns in the sports world in North America had taken place, and Dale was wondering if her chance to join the Hilltops was going to fade away.

Emmarae Dale (#45) makes a take down for the Valkyries in 2019.

    “I was supposed to go to my first practice with them right after COVID hit,” said Dale. “COVID hit on Friday (March 13) and everything was shut down.

    “I wasn’t able to go to practice, so I thought maybe this just isn’t going to happen anymore. Then things kind of still kept rolling kind of throughout isolation. We got my eligibility all approved and extended.

    “Yeah, it worked out.”

    The Valkyries WWCFL season that usually runs in May and June was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 6, the 2020 CJFL season was officially cancelled due to the pandemic as well.

    On Sept. 8, the CJFL announced players that were slated to turn 22-years-old and 21-years-old for the 2020 campaign would be granted an extra year of eligibility. Those players that would have been 22-years-old this season can play in 2021, and players that would have been 21-years-old this season can play through to 2022.

Emmarae Dale (#45) liked to make big hits for the Valkyries.

    All of Dale’s paper work that needed to be completed to allow her to join the Hilltops was processed before August 6, which made her eligible for the 2021 campaign.

    Last week, the Hilltops began practicing three times a week for a period of six weeks, and Dale took part in those workouts. That led up to the Hilltops officially announcing she would be a member of the team on Tuesday.

    She is also following in the footsteps of her older brother in Anthony and Donovan, who played for the Hilltops in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

    Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said it was a “no-brainer” to add Emmarae Dale to the Hilltops, when Yausie approached him with the idea.

Emmarae Dale (#45) can provides strong pass coverage on defence.

    “Number one, she is a Dale, and that has been a great name in the Hilltops legacy and tradition of what we do,” said Sargeant, who is the all-time career wins leader for post-secondary football in Canada. “Number two, we just loved the energy and how she competes and gets after things.

    “We’re just excited to coach her and try to help enhance some of her skill set. Ultimately, it is going to be up to her to get out there and make the plays and help the Hilltops win. As I said, we’re excited to have her.

    “She has a great attitude and a great work ethic. It is the kind of people we look for.”

    Sargeant said Dale’s athletic ability stands out, and you could tell she had put in a lot of good time at Ignite Athletics, where most of the Hilltops train and where Dale also works the front desk.

    “She puts in the time and energy to make herself in top condition, strong and physical,” said Sargeant. “She is very explosive, plays low and really rallies and gets to the ball.

Emmarae Dale (#45) allows Ehjae Chan (#24) to create a turnover.

    “We’re just real excited to be around her, and you can see all that hard work she has been doing. It has been paying off. She moves and grooves real easy out on that field.”

    Dale’s transition to the Hilltops was made easier by the fact she already knew a number of the veteran players having trained with them at Ignite for a number of years. She said there were some new faces she still had to get used to, but she still hit the ground running with the team.

    “It was more comfortable coming in just because I know a lot of the guys from working out with them and doing on field sessions with them,” said Dale. “I didn’t know everybody, so I kind of felt like I was on an island at first just because I am not going to have the same camaraderie that they have.

    “They’ve already have been super welcoming, and it made me feel just one of the team. It has been good.”

    Sargeant was pleased that the CJFL has been supportive of the Hilltops adding Dale to their roster. 

Emmarae Dale (#45) sizes up a play at the line of scrimmage.

    The energetic sideline boss said Dale is on the team because she can make plays.
    “We have a long time to prep and get this all ready and get her ready, so when the season starts, she is out there making an impact for the Hilltops so we can get out there and start winning games again,” said Sargeant. “That is what we love to do, and we want her to be a part of that.”

    Dale said she can’t wait to hit the field for game action with the Hilltops for the first time. She plans to use the extended preparation period to reach new heights in her play.

Emmarae Dale (#45) enjoys a WWCFL championship win in 2019.

    “I’m just excited to get bigger, faster and stronger and just getting better as an athlete, bulking up as much as I can of course just to match up with these guys out here,” said Dale. “I’m excited just to stay healthy and just keep getting better at football and just living and breathing football for the next year and gearing up for 2021 and hopefully bringing home a ‘ship’ (championship).”

    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.

Huskies’ Klassen goes full speed ahead in whirlwind ride

Colton Klassen is healthy and ready to play football.

    Colton Klassen expected to write a classic injury comeback story, but world events had different ideas.

    Back on October 26, 2019, the star utility offensive player for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team went down with a gruesome dislocated right ankle near the end of the first quarter of 22-9 victory over the University of Alberta Golden Bears at Griffiths Stadium. The contest closed the regular season for both sides, which meant Klassen wasn’t able to play in the Huskies two post-season games.

    The graduate of Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High School Crusaders football team hit the comeback trail with great focus and determination.

    Miraculously at the beginning of March, he recovered to the point he was ready to attend CFL scouting combines.

Colton Klassen (#7) with his Huskies teammates on Oct. 26, 2019.

    At that point, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic took hold in North America causing massive shutdowns to occur starting on a big scale on March 11 and 12, especially in the sports world.

    “Looking back on it, I’m trying to be positive with it, because I know everyone is kind of going through the same thing right now with there being no season,” said Klassen, who stands 5-foot-8 and weighs 200 pounds. “I know individually from the point I got hurt until now it definitely went a way in which I never thought it would, and I don’t think anyone would ever imagine happening.

    “I’ve been lucky with my recovery. It has only been eight almost nine months since I’ve had surgery. It is amazing how quick the body can heal once you put the work in and put in the time.”

Colton Klassen leaves Griffiths Stadium after being injured on Oct. 26, 2019.

    Ignite Athletics held testing in late March and Klassen ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.6 seconds which showed the incredible progress he had made. On April 30, he was selected in the eighth round and 69^th overall by the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL Draft.

    He hasn’t been able to report to the Alouettes as the CFL season still hangs in limbo due to the pandemic. That development hasn’t deterred Klassen from his training.

    “It is unfortunate that I didn’t get the chance this year at least yet to go to a CFL camp or get to go and show what I can do,” said Klassen, who caught 37 passes last season for 456 yards and two touchdowns and was named a Canada West Conference all-star. “I’m definitely feeling good.

Colton Klassen returns a kick on special teams for the Huskies.

    “The big thing now I think with myself and any athlete right now is just trying to stay positive and stay mentally safe and healthy and just try to be as positive as we can be given the situation that we are in.”

    Still, the bumps kept coming.

    On June 8, U Sports cancelled all its fall national championships including football, and the Canada West Conference cancelled play in all team sports for fall because of the ongoing battle with COVID-19.

    Just nine days into July, it appeared Klassen would lose the potential opportunity to return to the Huskies for his fifth and final season of eligibility. U Sports had at first decided to continue to enforce its age cap rule for football, and due to the fact Klassen would be 25-years-old as of Sept. 1, 2021, he wouldn’t have been eligible to play.

Colton Klassen, right, secures a catch in traffic for the Huskies.

    On July 27, U Sports announced it was launching a review regarding its eligibility policies for football and ruled all players who would be 25-years-old as of Sept. 1, 2021 would be allowed to play in the 2021 campaign. That meant Klassen could play his final campaign for the Huskies in 2021.

    After again riding the roller-coaster this time because of the age cap issue, Klassen couldn’t believe how many different adversities had piled up, but he still wanted to focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.

    “This year has just kind of been a punching bag in the face,” said Klassen. “First of all the injury and then everyone has their personal stuff to go through, so there is a lot of personal stuff to deal with after the injury and everything going forward.

Colton Klassen has celebrated a lot of big plays with the Huskies.

    “With COVID happening and stuff getting shut down and sports getting shut down, going forward with the future of my life, I don’t know if there will ever be a year or a time that will have this much negativity or so much doubt or uncertainty. If we can make it through this with everything that is going on, we can make it through anything.”

    The graduate of the CJFL’s Regina Thunder found a saving grace on June 8, when Ignite Athletics reopened after a government imposed shutdown. Klassen, who was the offensive player of the year of the Prairie Football Conference with the Thunder in 2015, was able to train again in a group setting with his Huskies teammates, who live in Saskatoon.

    He was happy to see athletes from other football teams and other sports out at Ignite too.

Colton Klassen was selected by the Alouettes in the CFL Draft.

    “Just seeing (co-owner and strength and conditioning coach) Joel (Lipinski) and seeing all those guys there and just seeing the positivity that those guys bring, I think that definitely helps,” said Klassen. “Definitely after quarantine and everything and the restrictions you have with seeing friends and people, when you go to the gym now, it is not just to get a lift in.

    “It is to get that social interaction aspect of your life back in. I know for me the gym right now is my life. I love going there.

    “I honestly don’t know what I would do without it or where I would be right now or what condition I would be in. Honestly, that is one of the things keeping me same right now.”

    Going forward, Klassen is working for the day he gets to play a game of football again.

    “I try to have the mindset that I am still going to have the opportunity to play football, and this virus won’t end it all,” said Klassen. “With this hitting us, this is more than just football.

Colton Klassen looks forward to the day he plays a football game again.

    “This is hitting you in every aspect of your life. I am just trying to look at it in the most positive way I can and just try to use it as a learning experience. I am just trying to stay positive and just trying to think about 12 or 13 months from now instead of just worrying about tomorrow or the day after.

    “It is just keep working and eventually we’ll be in a time I believe that is more normal than it is now.”

    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.

Can the regular person identify with today’s elite athlete?

Most regular people can’t comprehend the work Tyler Chow (#5) put in.

    Can the regular person identify with today’s elite athlete?

    That is a question I have been struggling with for the past two years, especially looking at the sports scene in Canada. I don’t think the regular person realizes how hard today’s athlete has to work at their craft to be good at the elite levels of sport, unless the regular person worked in elite athletes in recent time in some capacity.

    I feel like there is a perception out there that lives of elite level athletes are like what had been before the late 1990s when year round training came into vogue.

    Before the late 1990s came around, there was a period of a good 80 to 90 years where the commonly viewed approach to elite athletics was the same.

    You basically showed up at training camp to get into shape and take part in practices and games. When you were not participating in a practice or a game, you likely weren’t doing something specific to your sport.

    You were doing normal real life things like tending to family matters, participating in social activities or even working a regular job in the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours.
    Actually, the elite athlete in the old days was viewed as a regular person who happened to be good at sports.

Most regular persons wouldn’t understand Libby Epoch’s joy for basketball.

    When the off-season came around, the time you spent on your sport likely got spent lying on a beach, golfing or partying. Often when one sports season ended, you might even follow another sport pursuit.

    For example, if you played hockey in the winter you might play baseball in the summer.

    If you worked out or lifted weights during a season, you likely got teased by your teammates.

    In the late 60s and early 70s, it was common for players in a sport like in professional tackle football to sit back, drink a coffee or smoke a cigarette at halftime.

    If you are an elite athlete in the current day in Canada, your sport is your full-time job, and it seems like you are doing something sports specific year round.

    There are very few athletes that participate in two sports at an elite level like Saskatoon’s Kaitlin Jockims, who is gifted in both hockey and basketball.

    The off-season conditioning programs of the current day are far more advanced and evolved than those offered in the early 1990s. If you visit a training facility like Ignite Athletics in Saskatoon, you will end up getting an education in core conditioning and be surprised how much goes into getting physically prepared for sport at the elite level.

    Most regular persons have never stepped into a facility like Ignite Athletics and would be shocked at what all happens there under the guidance of the facility’s outstanding staff.

Kaitlin Jockims is the rare star in two sports at the elite level.

    When the sports season begins right from training camp, elite athletes will also be immersed in classroom video sessions in their sport.

    In hockey, you are already starting to execute the systems a team wants to use during the regular season and playoffs. When the regular season starts, you hit the ice going at full pace.

    Regular persons would be shocked at how much time goes into video preparation.

    Even eating is different. Elite athletes are very aware about eating healthy. Even if they are out at a social function where alcohol is present, elite athletes will be aware about even having one alcoholic drink and might not even have an alcoholic drink at all.

    In athletics at the university level and even in major junior hockey just 10 years ago, athletes often looked forward to the Saturday game, because afterwards you were usually allowed to go out and party on a non-curfew night.

    That was usually time elite athletes in those sports were able to let loose and have fun, because in university you didn’t play a game again until the upcoming Friday.

Jaime Bourbonnais - a highly talented athlete who works hard.

    In major junior hockey, you usually went out and socialized on the Saturday if you next game wasn’t until Wednesday.
    Now, university athletes and major junior hockey players are worried about rest and recovery after the Saturday game even if a long break follows. In those situations, you often find players holding a protein shake and finishing off a cool down after visiting family.

    If teams go out on average twice every four months on a social outing these days, that is a lot.

    Even in curling which has always been viewed as the most social of sports, the athletes in that sport are now perfectly conditioned. The elite curlers aren’t stopping at the curling club lounge to have an alcoholic drink after their games, which was commonplace in the past.

    Most regular persons wouldn’t image putting all of that attention in to be able to do a sport. Also with the way the world has changed, most regular persons in Canada are often focused on the hustle and bustle of their own lives trying to get by.

    The goal is often to go on a vacation to a tropical spot like Hawaii. In most cases, the regular person worries about themselves and finds anything outside of their worlds as being irrelevant.

    Most of today’s elite athletes put full-time job efforts into their sport for very little financial reward.

Rylan Kleiter excels at football and curling.

    The number of athletes that reaches the level to make millions at the professional level is a very small fraction of the elite athletes who have tried to get to that spot.
    For most regular persons, it is all about the financial reward. They are better off financially working a full-time job than most elite athletes and will view those elite athletes as being stupid.

    The regular person can’t see positive traits elite athletes establish in pursuing their sport. Some of those traits and skills are better social skills, strong work ethic, teamwork and leadership skills.

    Due to the fact today’s elite athletes focus on their sports more than ever before, they don’t interact as much with persons in the regular work world. As a result, regular persons have no emotional investment in elite athletes.

    So yes, I believe there is a disconnection between regular persons and elite athletes in Canada in today’s world.

    The regular person just can’t get why elite athletes do what they do.

Dach watch intensifies for Blades fans

Kirby Dach has signed with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.

    The watch by Saskatoon Blades fans to see if star centre Kirby Dach will return to the team next season got a surge in intensity.

    On Monday, the 18-year-old product of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., signed a three year NHL entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks selected Dach in the first round and third overall in the NHL Entry Draft held in June.

    Due to Dach’s early draft selection and now that he has a signed NHL contract, the odds have increased that he could play in the NHL next season.

    As Dach hasn’t entered his overage season of junior eligibility, the Blackhawks have to return him to the major junior ranks if they don’t elect to have him play in the NHL.

    Last season, Dach, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 200 pounds, appeared in 62 regular season games with the Blades last season posting 25 goals, 48 assists and a plus-15 rating in the plus-minus department.

    He helped the Blades finish fourth overall in the WHL’s regular season standings at 45-15-8 and advance to the second round of the playoffs. The Blades fell in six games in the second round to the eventual WHL champion Prince Albert Raiders.

    If Dach makes the NHL this season, most would be happy for his success. The Blades would take that development as a good thing and move on as best they can.

“Texan Sniper” takes his talents to Switzerland

Max Gerlach is going to be sniping in pros in Switzerland.

    Sharpshooting right-winger Max Gerlach is on his way to Switzerland.

    On Wednesday, the former Saskatoon Blades standout, who is nicknamed the “Texan Sniper,” signed a one-year contract with HC Ambri-Piotta in Quinto, Switzerland. He will be loaned to the HCB Ticino Rockets in Biasca, Switzerland.

    Last season, Gerlach played out his overage major junior campaign with the Blades appearing in all of the team’s 68 regular season games posting 42 goals, 32 assists and a plus-seven rating in the plus-minus department.

    He played four seasons in the WHL split between the Medicine Hat Tigers and Blades recording 141 goals and 110 assists in 278 career regular season games.

    The product of Flower Mound, Texas, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 165 pounds, was a fan favourite in both of his WHL stops.

Nickolet departs Blades for NHL’s Hurricanes

    No matter Cody Nickolet will no longer be a fixture around Saskatoon Blades games.

    On Thursday, Nickolet joined the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes as an amateur scout. Last season, Nickolet was the Blades director of analytics for the WHL and one of their scouts in Saskatchewan.

    He first joined the Blades way back in 2011-12 as the team’s communications manager. Nickolet was on the Blades scouting staff for the past four seasons.

    His time with the Blades was broken up being a prospect analyst for one season with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.

    It will be a change for SaskTel Centre building staff and team supporters to no longer see Nickolet around the rink on a regular basis. He got along well with everyone, and you can bet those that know him are happy to see this opportunity come his way.

Raiders’ Leason signs NHL deal with Capitals

Brett Leason has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals.

    Prince Albert Raiders star right-winger Brett Leason further cemented his path to the professional game.

    On Thursday, Leason signed a three-year NHL entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals. The Capitals selected Leason in the second round and 56^th overall in the NHL Entry Draft held this past June.

    Last season, Leason, who stand 6-foot-4 and weighs 210 pounds, had a breakout year with the Raiders posting 36 goals, 53 assists and a plus-55 rating in the plus-minus department in 55 regular season games.

    He helped the Raiders finish first overall in the WHL regular season with a 54-10-2-2 record and win their second WHL title and appear in the Memorial Cup tournament. In the WHL playoffs, Leason posted 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points and a plus-six rating in 22 games.

    The Calgary, Alta., product also earned a spot on Canada’s team at the last world junior tournament played in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C.

    Leason is eligible to return to the Raiders for an overage campaign, but he will likely play somewhere in the Capitals system next season.

Raiders’ Protas also signs with Capitals

Aliaksei Protas, left, has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals.

    Prince Albert Raiders import left-winger Aliaksei Protas professional hockey path has moved more towards the capital city of the United States.

    On Wednesday, Protas, who is from Vitebsk, Belarus, signed a three-year NHL entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals. The Capitals selected Protas in the third round in and 91^st overall in the NHL Entry Draft that was held this past June.

    Protas, who is 18-years-old, signed a day before his linemate in right-winger Brett Leason inked a three-year NHL entry-level contract with the Capitals.

    Protas, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 205 pounds, was a WHL rookie in the 2018-19 campaign, and he steadily improved posting 11 goals, 29 assists and a plus-24 rating in 61 regular season games. He had a head turning WHL playoffs posting 12 goals, 10 assists and a plus-12 rating in 23 games helping the Raiders win a league title.

    Protas will likely rejoin the Raiders next season for a sophomore campaign unless he makes the Capitals NHL team.

Football Canada Cup Hail Mary something to see

    If a television-type broadcast camera had been present, the Football Canada Cup would have had a highlight that could have potentially on viral across North America.

    This year’s Football Canada Cup is going on right now in Kingston, Ont., the first of two semifinal games held on Wednesday provided a crazy highlight.

    In the first semifinal, Team Quebec led Team Alberta 23-16 with one snap to go in the fourth quarter and Alberta had the ball around midfield. Alberta quarterback Eli Hetlinger fired a Hail Mary pass down the right sideline that deflected off the hands of two Quebec defensive backs to Alberta receiver Dawson Gladue.

    Gladue secured the catch at the Quebec 16 yard-line and raced the rest of the way for a touchdown that forced a 23-23 tie score and overtime.

    Quebec prevailed 29-27 after a fourth set of overtime possessions.

    Gladue’s touchdown catch was shown on TSN, but the cameras used for the Internet telecast of the game weren’t the best quality. The score still looked good on the overhead shot, but it could have been better.

    Had there been a television broadcast quality camera present, you would have had a crazy highlight that could have been shown anywhere.

    There are NCAA athletic programs in the United States that have Internet broadcast quality cameras that are almost as good as television broadcast cameras.

    Unfortunately, sports bodies in Canada don’t have that type of money to purchase technology that is used by the top end NCAA athletic programs.

    Gladue will always have that lasting memory of his catch. Still, it could have been bigger moment for amateur sports in Canada.

Final Play: @FootballAlberta sends it to overtime in the Canada Cup semifinals. #TryFootball @FootballCanada pic.twitter.com/pI9knpuuzH

— CFL (@CFL) July 12, 2019

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