The Yorkton Terriers have received great support in Dauphin for the Western Canada Cup as I figured there had to have been close to 600 fans make the trip 175km east to watch the SJHL champs for each game over the weekend. I am thrilled to see this kind of support and I hope it bleeds into next season. The Terriers are a big entity that puts Yorkton on the national map and we all should be proud.
As I watched Brett Boehm tear apart the Kings on Sunday night with three goals and one assist, I was struck by something remarkable. You see, Boehm isn't a known contributor to the defensive side of the game. For many in hockey circles, that's a problem. It isn't for me. Players like Boehm that are, incredibly, gifted get a free pass from playing defense, in my opinion. However, I may hold a player like that to a higher standard in the offensive zone. Think about it. Did the Detroit Red Wings ever bench Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby because they weren't scoring enough? Of course not, because that's not their game. So, leave the offensive guys alone and if they don't play defense, who cares, so long as they aren't costing you.
When he played, I'm not sure if anybody despised Patrick Roy more than I did. I couldn't watch a lot of the time. I'd wait for the game to be over and if he was lit up, I'd relish with the highlight pack on TSN. But, most of the time he was amazing and the single biggest reason the Montreal Canadiens were even a decent hockey team, let alone a Stanley Cup winner in 1993. When he was traded to Colorado, I loved it because I have never liked the Habs. But, I ended up being an anti-Avalanche fan in the process because I could just never cheer for Patrick Roy. Now, Roy is an NHL coach and I have a man-crush on the guy. I love how he believes in his convictions and does what he wants regardless of where it fits on the ladder of how things are normally done. Roy pulls his goalie with three minutes remaining in the game instead of one and he will leave his six attackers on the ice the entire time without making a line change should he decide that's what is best. On Saturday, he pulled his netminder with 2:40 to go and one of the playlers he had out there (P-A Parenteau) had been as close to invisible as you can get over the course of the night. But, Roy knows Parenteau can score and despite all of his other shortcomings, he put Parenteau on the ice and was rewarded when it was Parenteau who scored the tying goal, forcing overtime and Colorado win). Roy does what he wants, when he wants, and isn't going to be influenced by anything other than his own brain. I'm, officially, on the Avalanche bandwagon.
Here's something for Edmonton Oiler fans to chew on. The Oilers and Avalanche are built much the same way, yet have two totally different end results to their seasons. Both teams are led in the front office by alumni (Lowe & MacTavish for Edmonton, Sakic & Roy for Colorado). Both teams have a young nucleus as a result of drafting high. I think there is something to be said for professional development. Look at Detroit. It's not that they have a big secret and unearth unknown talented players. They are just better at maximizing potential once a player is in their organization.
Changing gears from sports to current events, an Ontario woman has launched a lawsuit against the estate of a teenage boy she killed in 2012 for more than $1 million. Her twisted logic is based on mental anguish she has suffered from being traumatized after slamming into the lad and his two friends. She's also suing the municipal government for failing to maintain the road where the boy was struck. I'm assuming the poor boy's family can counter sue for the mental anguish from being sued (In fact, they do have their own suit filed).
Nice person mentions this week to Barry Shiells, Dale Schmidt, Brandon Lockerby, Sherry MacDonald, Katelyn Wilson, and Fred Schrader.
