Saturday Morning Special - Aug 20th

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Who says there is no hockey to talk about in the summer? Saturday morning we had a show that was wall-to-wall hockey featuring a couple of newcomers to TPS, a former TEAM 1260 personality, a regular media contributor from the Hockey East conference and possibly Dean Millard's favorite segment since I blindsided him with an Andy Moog wedding present back in Season 2.

Wednesday Re-Set

"The only thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill!" - Patrick Swayze as Derek Sutton in Youngblood

Every week on TPS we talk about the Future of Hockey and while we certainly did that yesterday it was in a bit of a different fashion than normal; for one, it was one of those rare occasions where we didn't have a single player interview. You can count on there being a number of Youngblood references though and our first guest had a beauty when it came to Miss McGill... even if it was just one word!

The March 10th edition of TPS began with our new weekly debate where Dean and I go head-to-head over 5 different topics. This week:

- Tyler Ennis is a junior standout but will he be successful as a pro?
- Who has been the Oil Kings MVP this year?
- Who is the best choice for a WHL playoff dark horse?
- Should Jeff Petry leave MSU now?
- Should the host site for the Memorial Cup be announced mid-season?

Our first guest of the night was Kevin Forbes from Hockey's Future. Forbesy lives in Halifax and covers the Q for HF so we picked his brain (which never takes long) and got an update on who to watch for as the playoffs rapidly get closer.

Then we touched base with the voice of the Edmonton Oil Kings A.J. Jacubec who gave us an idea of what the last week of the regular season will be like for the local 'Dub team.

The Hockey News released their annual Future Watch issue a couple weeks ago and to explain the ins and outs of putting the issue together we invited contributing writer Ryan Kennedy on the show. We talked about who took the #1 spot and by how much seperation there was from the cover boy that came in second. Also why some players weren't on the list and the criteris for even being considered. I still think Dustin Tokarski deserved to be there - a Memorial Cup MVP and a WJC Gold Medal under his belt in the last 10 months... it's about time he started getting some recognition.

Bad Ass Trivia was fairly short this week but we still got a winner! I seriously didn't think there was a hockey fan above the age of 12 who wouldn't get the first question though... it was the easiest one I had come up with before the show.

Finally we headed south of the border for out weekly NCAA segment but with a twist - we spoke with Damien Goddard of the popular blog called LetsGoDU. We tried talking hockey and got serious about the ongoing "Denver-Boone" mascot controversy but somehow kept coming back to the two ladies posing in the 'Welcome to Boonetown' T-shirts.

Big props to D.G. for donating a couple of those shirts to Millard and I and we apologize for blatantly "borrowing" the photo here... we hope you don't sue us but somehow feel that it might even be worth it if you did!

(photos courtesy: The Hockey News, Miss McGill and LetsGoDu.com)

Falcons furios comeback falls short, NHL's hottest goalie stops them in 3rd, new gear from Mad Brothers.

Springfield failed to pick up their 9th point in their last 12 games Friday, despite throwing everything at Lowell in the 3rd period. Scott Clemenson, recently sent down by the Unholy for contract reasons, continued his red hot play for the New Jersey lite. He was 25-13-1 while filling in for Martin Brodeur but once it was Marty's Party again, the former Boston College Eagle returned to the AHL, and the Falcons found out what it was like to face an NHL calibre goalie, even if he was only one for 40 games.

Ryan Stone scored a pair in the 3rd where the Falcons peppered Clemmensen with 16 shots and 36 overall, but ended up losing 3-2. Newly acquired Charles Linglet continued his fine play for Springfield, setting up both Stone goals. The 6.02, 212 pound left winger has 6 points in his 5 falcon games and 15 in 11 overall in February.

The loss Friday comes on the heel of an overtime win Wednesday over Portland. It was a big night for the D pairing of Taylor Chorney and Cody Wild. Wild scored the O.T. winner and was plus 2. Chorney set up another and was plus 3. Springfield is on the road Saturday against the Sharks farmhands.

As for the Oil Kings, they lost in overtime in Swift Current. Edmonton climbed back in this one after trailing 2-1, only to have speedy creek win it in next goal wins time. However Edmonton gets a point, while Prince Albert lost, so the OK kids occupy 8th place alone, by one point with 6 games to go for each. Both clubs are in action Saturday against weaker teams. Edmonton is in the Jaw to face the Warriors, while the Raiders take on Red Deer.

It's funny how both teams under the Oilers umbrella are scrapping to get into the big dance. Three of the Kings 6 games are against the 2 worst teams in the East - 1 vs. MJ and a home and home series to end the season with RD - while the Oilers have 8 of their next 21 games against teams they lead by atleast 3 points in the west or are out of it in the East. They also play 6 games against the teams they are fighting for spots 7 and 8 (Minnesota, Anaheim, Nashville, Vancouver) I figure it's a coin toss whether the Oilers get in, while the Oil Kings have to just out preform one team down the stretch. It would be very cool to see double the playoff hockey in Edmonton after having none at the highest levels for 2 years.

And finally, you may have noticed Guy and I in our styling Hamilton Mustang Jerseys (top right of page) well now the producers of the jersey's from the best junior hockey movie ever made, Youngblood, have more gear from the flick. Mad Brothers has added a Carl Racki #20 jersey to their roster, along with just about anything you can imagine from the movie slap shot. Check 'em out if you're a sweater collector like myself and tell 'em The Pipeline Show sent you.

Truitt Dismissal Creates Stir

A few days have passed since the coaching change was made in Springfield that saw Jeff Truitt replaced by Rob Daum. Since that time I've had the chance to speak with a small number of Falcons players for some reaction and have gotten pretty much the same feelings in response from all of them - regret and guilt.

On Tuesday I chatted for a few minutes with center Ryan O'Marra who, despite his place down the depth chart (when not a healthy scratch), had nothing but positive things to say in regards to Truitt. O'Marra described Truitt as a player's coach and made it clear that even though the team has struggled mightily for the last couple of months, there was no dissention and that the coach had not lost the room.

That was pretty much the same story we received from Rob Schremp during his appearance on The Pipeline Show in January.

On Tuesday night we spoke with Ryan Stone, an interview that was set up before the coaching change was made, and he described the team's reaction as being "pretty upset over it because it's usually never the coach's fault."

Stone went on to say that the team "let [Truitt] down and he took the fall for it."

Yesterday morning I had a casual conversation with Liam Reddox at the Oilers morning skate. I asked Reddox if it was fair to say that Truitt was indeed liked by everyone and that he felt the Falcons coach was 'a player's coach'. Reddox echoed what O'Marra had told me in that Truitt had the respect of all of the players and that the team was taking responsibility for the poor play upon themselves rather than looking to pass blame to the coaches.

I asked Reddox if he was suprised that Truitt was let go considering all of those things and he spelled it out as plainly as it can be said - that it's a results driven business and the team wasn't getting the results. The old cliche is that it's easier to fire the coach than to replace the entire roster and obviously that's true.

Reddox described Truitt as being incredibly dedicated to making the team better. Over the All-Star break when Reddox was back on the farm he said he would always show up early at the rink (as Reddox is known to do) and Truitt would be there before him going over video.

This really does appear to be a case of, as Ryan Stone described, the coach taking the fall for the team's lack of performance rather than because he himself isn't a good coach. The fact that some of the players are taking the firing to heart is a good thing - a kick in the ass is exactly the reason the move was made. It's just unfortunate that a good guy lost his job in the process.

Notes & Thoughts:

With both Lubomir Visnovsky and Denis Grebeshkov out of action and both being contributors to the Oielrs power play, is there any chance that Mathieu Roy gets consideration for a recall? Corey Graham posed the question to me last night during the TEAM 1260 Post Game Show and while at first I sort of scoffed at the idea it actually does make a bit of sense - Roy does have some NHL experience and he does have a big shot from the point. He'd have to clear re-entry waivers but I'm really thinking that's not much of a concern for the Oilers who aren't likely considering resigning him this summer anyway. Theo Peckham is definitely on the way up but would it really be crazy to consider Roy as well?

Speaking of Corey Graham, props to him for something he said last night in the press box. After watching Liam Reddox killing a penalty and winning a battle for a loose puck against two Canadiens along the wall right at the Oiler bench, Graham suggested that Reddox is starting to look more and more like he belongs. "He reminds me of Rudy" said Graham in reference to the movie about the Notre Dame football player who was told all his life he would never realize his dream but proved everyone wrong. I think you could make a case for Steve MacIntyre being Edmonton's Rudy but Reddox is starting to make believers out of more and more people too.

Really off topic for a second - so I'm in the dressing room yesterday morning and I happen to be wearing my Hamilton Mustangs T-Shirt (if you don't know who they are, shame on you). Of all the players who not only recognized it but struck up a conversation with me over it... Ladislav Smid was the last one I expected.

"Hey, nice!" he said pointing at the red logo, "That's a great movie!"

I wonder if Smid ever had tea with Miss McGill? I'll have to ask him next time.

Wednesday Re-Set

Last night on The Pipeline Show we continued our preview coverage of the 2009 World Junior Championship (click here).

First Dean and I, wearing our brand spanking new Hamilton "Youngblood" Mustangs sweaters (courtesy Madbrothers.com), debated the cuts and choices made by Hockey Canada on Monday.
In our second segment we spoke with Canadian sniper Jordan Eberle. The 2008 1st round pick talked about his excitement over making the team, who he expects to play with and what he's most looking forward to about the tournament.

Next we chatted with Cornell's Riley Nash. Another 1st round pick but this time one who didn't make the final grade for Canada. Riley was candid about his experience at the short camp and why he felt he didn't make the team.

Next up was Jordan Schroeder of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Schroeder (pronounced Shray-der) is expected to be a top 10 pick at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and is a returning ember of Team USA for the WJC this year. He'll be a key player lining up next to James VanRiemsdyk and Colin Wilson and we touched on that as well as why USA this year won't failt to live up to their potential.

We closed out the show by playing an interview I had with Saskatoon Blades defenceman Stefan Elliot. He was was a recent winner of the 2009 Draft Prospect Performer of the Week Award that we're apart of and we talked about his draft year, the suprising success of the Blades this year and also a bit about the 2010 WJC that will be held in Regina/Saskatoon.

You can hear all of these interview by checking out the Media Archive section of our website.

It's time to start making podium predictions for the 2009 event. Dean is on record going with Sweden-Canada-USA while I have Canada-Sweden-USA. Peter Loubardias from Rogers Sportsnet, and a good friend of TPS, selected Canada-USA-Sweden but did say if Oscar Moller was playing (as he now is) that he'd strongly consider the Swedes as the gold medal favourites.

What are YOUR predictions for who will take home Gold, Silver and Bronze?