I love Blue Rodeo. Their original songs are pure, their covers are gorgeous, the sound of the band professional but always raw. I’ve never mistaken their recordings for a feature singer with a bunch of studio musicians. They’re a band. Blue Rodeo is from Ontario, but Alberta loves them like their children. That happens a lot, K.D. Lang is from Alberta (born in Edmonton) and can pack a joint from New York to Melbourne. The ultimate example is The Guess Who and Toronto. Find yourself a partner that loves anything like Toronto loved the Guess Who in 1972.
I like the country music, not the dumb stuff but the thoughtful, piercing stuff. Bad Timing by Blue Rodeo, my goodness that’s a song. Those harmonies reach you and you’re done. The words are pure too.
Well I’d rather be Walking through the tall pine trees
High up above Lake Louise
And I’d rather be
Chasing after shooting stars
Than waiting for this dumb 503 TTC
I’m not even certain what the 503 TTC is, always assumed it was a Toronto crosstown bus or subway. Doesn’t matter. I picked up what Blue Rodeo was putting down from the first note, that’s never going to change. Welcome to my look at the WHL for the 2020 draft.
THE ATHLETIC!
The Athletic Edmonton features a fabulous cluster of stories (some linked below, some on the site). Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. Proud to be part of The Athletic, check it out here.
- New Lowetide: Oilers 2020 draft: Are fans ready for Oil Kings’ Jake Neighbours?
- New Jonathan Willis: Oilers need to keep feeding their currently rich pipeline of defensive prospects
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: How a series of oddball jobs prepared Ken Holland for his front-office career
- Jonathan Willis: 2020 NHL offseason goalie market: Team needs, free agents and trade possibilities
- Lowetide: Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins far more than ‘also in photo’ contributor
- Jonathan Willis: Building the best all-time Oilers roster, with a twist
- Lowetide: What are Tyler Benson’s chances of making the Oilers in 2020-21?
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: ‘They were looking outside the box’: Oilers’ distinctive third jerseys still stand out
- Lowetide: If Oilers draft for skill, Seth Jarvis likely to be best available
- Jonathan Willis and Lowetide: Should the Oilers pursue Taylor Hall this summer?
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman and Jonathan Willis: The results are in: How you voted in our inaugural Oilers fan survey
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: How the Oilers are preparing for an NHL draft in June
- Jonathan Willis: How Gaetan Haas, Joakim Nygard and Riley Sheahan draw calls that lead to goals
- James Mirtle: Ranking every NHL team’s salary cap situation, from best to worst
- Lowetide: Can the Oilers find Connor McDavid’s ideal winger this summer?
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: The two coaches who had the biggest influence on Dave Tippett
- Jonathan Willis: The 5 reasons why the Oilers re-signed Gaetan Haas
- Jonathan Willis: Can (and should) the Oilers trade Kris Russell?
- Jonathan Willis: How Edmonton could have left 2010 draft with both Taylor Hall and Ryan Johansen
- Lowetide: Kailer Yamamoto’s NHL comparables offer Oilers fans hope for the future
- Lowetide: Top 20 prospect update: A lot of movement and some impressive graduations
THE BEST OF THE WHL
- LC Connor Zary. Two-way center. September 2001. NHLE 37.
- RC Seth Jarvis. Jarvis is a fantastic player, undersized and skilled.
- RD Braden Schneider. Fine skater has a range of skills, owns a fairly complete game.
- LD Kaiden Guhle. Big defenseman has good foot speed and complete skill set.
- LW Ridly Greig. Smart offensive W with good instincts, he isn’t a fast train.
- LW Jake Neighbours He’s skilled, gritty and plays a strong two-way game. March 2002
- RW Ozzy Wiesblatt. 20+ goals lacks size but plays with great determination.
- RW Connor McClennon. He’s undersized but can score goals.
- RC Jack Finley. A big pivot, skates well, useful in multiple areas.
- RC Justin Sourdif. Two-way winger gained notice at the Hlinka.
- LW Owen Pederson. Scored 28 goals in 61 games. He’s worth drafting.
- RW Pavel Novak. Speedster with skill, he’s a scorer. NHLE is 26, he’s an April 2002.
- RD Luke Prokop. A giant (6.04, 218) Shutdown blue.
- Tristan Robins. Impressive numbers, he is very skilled doesn’t get much attention.
- L Kyle Crnkovic. Small (5.07) doubled his point total season over season.
- G Dylan Garand. Eye popping SP (.921), June 2002, he’s only 6.0. Good numbers down the line.
- LD Daemon Hunt. Big defender with good wheels, he is an effective player without the puck
- RD Kasper Puutio. Skill defender had a good Hlinka and then a strong late push
- LW Cross Hanas. Speedy winger scored 22 goals in Portland.
- RD Alex Cotton. Big offensive defenseman, second year eligible can he defend?
- RC Josh Pillar. Fast player, spiked offensively, could be underrated here.
- LC Michal Gut. Skill center, average speed, August 2002.
- LW Carter Souch. Undersized, skilled, great skater, shows flashes of brilliance.
- RW Robbie Fromm-Delorme. Skill winger, great name. Big improvement.
- RD Simon Kubicek. Big man who can defend, has some offensive flair.
The WHL list doesn’t reach the brilliant heights of the OHL, but there are quality names here. I’m especially interested in Jarvis, Neighbours, Finley, Cotton and Pillar.
WHL 2019 LIST
- Bowen Byram, LHD, Vancouver Giants. 67, 26-45-71 (1.06)
- Kirby Dach, RHC, Saskatoon Blades. 62, 25-48-73 (1.18)
- Dylan Cozens, RHC, Lethbridge Hurricanes. 68, 34-50-84 (1.24)
- Peyton Krebs, LW, Kootenay Ice. 64, 19-49-68 (1.06)
- Matthew Robertson, LHD, Edmonton Oil Kings. 52, 7-26-33 (0.63)
- Brett Leason, RW, Prince Albert Raiders. 55, 36-53-89 (1.62) (OA)
- Brayden Tracey, LW, Moose Jaw Warriors. 66, 36-45-81 (1.23)
- Lassi Thomson, RHD, Kelowna Rockets. 63, 17-24-41 (0.65)
- Mads Sogaard, G Medicine Hat Tigers. 37, 2.64 .921
- Nolan Foote, LW, Kelowna Rockets. 66, 36-27-63 (0.95)
- Luka Burzan LHC, Brandon Wheat Kings. 68, 40-38-78 (1.15) (OA)
- Adam Beckman, LW, Spokane Chiefs. 68, 32-30-62 (0.91)
- Kaedan Korczak, RD, Kelowna Rockets. 68, 4-29-33 (0.49)
- Dillon Hamaliuk, LW, Seattle Thunderbirds. 31, 11-15-26 (.84)
- Oleg Zaitsev, LHC, Red Deer Rebels. 66, 13-30-54 (0.65)
- Trent Miner, G, Vancouver Giants. 32, 1.98 .924.
- Alexei Protas, LC, Prince Albert Raiders. 61, 11-29-40 (0.66)
- Gianni Fairbrother, LHD, Everett Silvertips. 64, 10-26-36 (0.56)
- Sasha Mutala, RW, Tri-City Americans. 65, 20-21-41 (0.63)
- Reece Newkirk, LHC, Portland Winterhawks. 68, 23-36-59 (0.87)
- Josh Williams, RW, Edmonton Oil Kings. 66, 14-19-33 (0.50)
- Quinn Schmiemann, LHD, Kamloops Blazers. 58, 5-23-28 (0.48)
- Dustin Wolf, Everett Silvertips. 61, 1.69 .936
- Martin Lang, RW, Kamloops Blazers. 65, 11-22-33 (0.51)
- Luke Toporowski, LHC, Spokane Chiefs. 67, 21-28-49 (0.73)
- Ben McCartney, LW, Brandon Wheat Kings. 67, 21-20-41 (0.61)
- Vladimir Alistrov, LW, Edmonton Oil Kings. 62, 12-26-38 (0.61)
- Henry Rybinski, RW, Seattle Thunderbirds. 33, 7-28-35 (1.06)
- Mark Kastelic, RHC, Calgary Hitmen. 66, 47-30-77 (1.17) (OA)
- Cole Moberg, RHD, Prince George Cougars. 61, 13-27-40 (0.66) (OA)
My opinion is that the 2019 list is stronger than the 2020 edition, your mileage may vary. As I did yesterday, here’s the NHLE for Oilers top WHL picks from the decade with some of the current names thrown in.
- Seth Jarvis 41.8
- Leon Draisaitl 40.6
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 38.0
- Kailer Yamamoto 37.7
- Connor Zary 37.4
Now I’m not suggesting Jarvis is going to eclipse Leon or even Nuge, but he posted some crazy good numbers. I don’t believe Jarvis goes top 10, and he might not go top 15. He is a small winger. We’ll see.
There are several RFA’s (Kuffner, Hebig, Vesey, Lagesson, Day) who are without contracts, these AHL signings may be replacements for some of those names. I like this plan, good AHL players on minor league contracts are gold. I don’t believe Brad Malone will take minutes from Ryan McLeod, and ice time for the prospects is the only real concern. Jay Woodcroft and his staff have established that playing the kids is a priority.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10 this morning, TSN 1260, we hit the ground running with a great group of guests. At 10:20, Tom Gazzola talks Oilers, the draft and what it’s like to golf in the time of the Coronavirus. Marshall Ferguson from TSN1150 in Hamilton and CFL.ca will talk draft review, the season to (hopefully) come and remind us who is playing where. Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins will join us at 11:25 to share his memories of the 2014 WHL finals and the Memorial Cup later that spring. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
Actually no. I thought you were out of line on the prior thread and seized the first opportunity to point out how your standards appear to be different for yourself than for other posters.
It doesn’t matter to me if your opinion differs from mine, especially on such a speculative exercise. Nor does the NHL doing something completely different really matter.
Not to mention you sometimes disagree when you are really agreeing, and you sometimes completely misconstrue or misunderstand posts.
HH had put forward his proposal. He asked for mine. I gave it. The only thing up for dispute is whether or not it is my opinion, or whose proposal would work better.
Well, the chickens also needed a lot of Jedi mind tricks to cause those BC outbreaks.
BC and AB are at 3 deaths per 100K, Ontario at 11, and Quebec at 32 with 60% of all deaths being in Quebec, That’s a lot of Quebec nursing homes deaths driving that.Italy’s 50 per 100K is not out of reach for Quebec. The sobering thing is that 0.5-1.0% IFR at 50% infected would be 300-600 deaths per 100K.
So yeah, Munny, early going IF we are going there at all. At this point AB CFR is 3.2% for whole pop and for 60-70 vs 15.1% for 70-80 and 38.8% for 80+. So we can certainly state lots of the deaths are very elderly and that high infection rates in long term care skew things. But even with that the estimated fatality AVERAGES (e.g. 0.5-1.0%) are roughly what to expect for 60-70.
Timing is also huge. Edmonton seniors places had 1 outbreak vs Calgary’s 15. Most of those cases were already baked in when a lot of things changed inside and out, but that spared Edmonton seniors. And those Calgary seniors outbreaks directly seeded the High River outbreak.
My post was right on the topic – where NHL games may be played this year.
I believe your issue is that my post went against your opinion.
I would have thought that fact that the NHL has said the neutral site games are not an option would have been welcome information but it seems not.
Yes, the league was looking in to neutral sites a little bit ago but then they said expressly that they wouldn’t work and gave reasons for them – the league expressly scrapped that idea around April 22.
Sorry, not trying to be an ass here – I know that was your opinion and I was responding to it by providing information that the league has already put the kibosh on it.
Toronto will probably end up with an NFL team in that case. Pretty sure MTL could support NFL too.
Mrs. Lowetide has nothing to worry about. The NHL started out as a 4 team league and thrived. The Western teams are going to be able to continue operations. C’est Lavie about the East but that’s progress.
Otherwise you end up with Super Bowl DCCLXVIII.
Based on standings % and intra-division playoffs, the Oilers and Canucks would finish 2nd and 3rd in the Pacific and meet in the 1st round so that wouldn’t work.
Wikipedia article on the History of Smallpox*:
Second sentence:
The earliest credible evidence of smallpox is found in the Egyptian mummies of people who died some 3,000 years ago.
First sentence of third heading (intro included):
Smallpox is exogenous to Africa. One of the oldest records of what may have been an encounter with smallpox in Africa is associated with the elephant war circa AD 568…
lol
_____
*N64 and his war on cattle—despite the evidence of Swine flu, Bird flu, Bat flu etc—made me think that the Smallpox virus would let him off the butcher’s hook. But that rabbit hole did not lead to the cowshed.
I dunno, man. That’s exactly what the fucking chickens said.
Not to mention, the OP was asking for my opinion… were you not the one excoriating a poster yesterday for expanding a topic into realms you had not intended?
Please offer others the same courtesy you demand for yourself.
OriginalPouzar,
Actually the League has been less than “express” on this issue. The Chicago Herald was reporting just a few days ago that the League is only considering “neutral sites”.
A week earlier, PA Prez Fehr explicitly stated, “No sites had been discussed” as of yet.
I’d suggest that this is a moving target, at best.
And considering we are talking about a dynamic… any other approach would be impractical.
If the League needs to go to a college town to host a playoff series because major metropolitan centres won’t allow it or can’t do it… they will.
It’s the cattle that do the damage.
Based on the last 4 days Calgary’s time to double is back up to 2 months.Edmonton and BC have been at 4 and 3 months for a while. Western Canada as a whole is in a good position to resume work and private life, prevent big flareups and tamp them down quickly.
It won’t be Saskatoon or a college/university hockey area – the league has already stated expressly that the games would only be played in NHL cities as the other locations (even in places like North Dakota, etc.) don’t have the “behind the scenes” infrastructure that would be required.
So far.
Plenty of data yet to gather.
We know so little that’s for sure about this disease, it’s ridic… but also unsurprising since it has been only 5 months.
That is a very definite possibility.
If they they find any specific plan the PA will agree to I don’t think it will involve any border crossings. Doubt it’s 4 Canadian venues. So most likely would be 4 US.
82% of Covid deaths in Canada are linked to long term care facilities for the elderly.
This has tremendous implications going forward.
https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2020/05/07/82-of-canadas-covid-19-deaths-have-been-in-long-term-care.html
CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie appeared before a Commons committee today and effectively wrote off the 2020 season.
The real danger is that the league may never come back since season ticket holders, who skew to the elderly, might never return.
Given that only Edmonton, Saskatchewan, Calgary and Winnipeg are consistently profitable there’s a very real chance the league is finished.
Sorry Mrs. Lowetide.
Harpers Hair,
One of Edmonton, Vancouver or Saskatoon.
The other division in the conference has no issues… some college town in Minny, Wisconsin or the Dakotas.
The other conference can do the Canadian maritimes with both hubs… or one there and say one in the Carolinas… N. Carolina was ahead of the game compared to most Eastern Seaboard states. Charlotte is probably out, but Winston-Salem is fine. Tennessee, outside of Nashville and Memphis is doing pretty good too.
But there are plenty of hockey university towns in the hinterlands of the US that will work. Colorado, Montana, Idaho…The League would probably rather have an American division playing in Alaska before one of Edmonton or Vancouver.
Keep in mind, this is solely a TV event. Time zones will matter.
What is very unlikely to happen though, is a division playing its games in two separate cities as you have proposed.
A big part of deciding how to precede with the Covid issue is that there is a lot of cross talk about what is germaine about risk.
Since very early days we know a lot. Now we know a lot more.
For the vast majority of people Covid is a mild ‘disease’, if they even know they have it.
The concern is that is is highly transmissible, by respiratory droplets, so close contact is bad. If transmission happens too quickly, those few that are vulnerable can overwhelm the capacity to take proper care of them.
In BC there are currently 20 Covid patients in ICU. Out of 5 million people.
Isolated and tested people who have quarantined for the incubation period don’t need to observe physical distancing. It’s plain logic, you don’t need a medical degree or specialty to realize this.
Professional sports teams have doctors on staff, players and coaches can be assessed daily along with all staff. Again this is just common sense.
It is known now that children are very low risk of acquiring or transmitting Covid. Thus countries with far higher counts than Canada, probably including Ontario and Quebec who have the vast majority of cases in Canada, have put elementary aged kids back to school. This supports reopening the economy so parents can work. Very low risk.
How careful does a province need to be? At what point does the effort to prevent harm from Covid cause more harm from the social, psychological and economic fallout? If saving lives is the goal, what if more lives are lost in the balance that aren’t Covid caused? Is that success?
Posted for truth, and for clarity of discussion, not to encite anyone’s bias.
CFL would be a tough one to manage coming back because of massive transient rosters, a gate driven revenue base, and low financial capacity.
The major sports could manage it if allowed and interested.
Where do you think the hub cities will be?
BC and Edmonton have very low rates of infection.
Ontario and Quebec are write offs so you’re looking at US cities.
Which ones?
More and more it seems the regular season won’t be completed and the league will move straight to the playoffs.
Apparently 16 and 24 team playoffs are being discussed.
I don’t expect this at all.
I expect 4 hub cities to start, one per division, with two of the four designated as the conference hub, and one of those two as the SCF hub.
Travel will need to be kept to an absolute minimum.
I think there is a very strong likelihood we see the League make full face shields mandatory, at least till this blows over… and perhaps longer.
And fighting, spitting etc might be an automatic 2 week suspension.
Horgan wrote to Bettman yesterday offering Vancouver as a hub city.
I’ll expect you’ll see both Edmonton and Vancouver as hub cities with the Canucks playing in Edmonton and the Oilers in Vancouver so neither has home ice advantage.
They will, of course, be quarantined again once they get back home.
It’s encouraging her take on things coincides with multiple world piers with far more experience than her. Or doesn’t.
She also thinks NHL hockey players wear masks.
Maybe Horgan will have the balls to make the decision.
Fucking chickens. Knew they’ve always had it in for us.
Good assessment. Is it worth seizing an opportunity just to put a sub-par product on display? I’m in your boat: no.
Done properly, the risk is effectively zero.
BC currently has about 700 active cases with almost all of them in elderly care facilities, a federal prison and two chicken processing plants.
JimmyV1965,
I agree; I think it would have negative public optics.
I wonder if they are also discussing families of support staff…
Hockey players are there till they’re eliminated. TV, support, etc are there till the bitter end. Do they get to be with their families while quarantined for weeks too? Do their families get to take bus rides with the fancy-schmancies?
Which brings up another point…
How do they handle the consolidation of venues once we’re out of divisional play? The bubble has to be able to be moved safely.. I don’t doubt there’s money for this, but is there political acceptance? That is, “you’re quarantined and travelled together so no need for two weeks iso”.
And who gets to host the SCF? The jurisdiction with the most lenient rules?
I suppose you could make a bus tour safe enough, but it introduces a completely unnecessary risk, even if it’s low. Frankly, I would question Bettman’s leadership if he allowed something like this to occur, unless there was some shift in government and social perceptions of the virus.
This is not how I feel personally, but if you quarantine an entire industry, you better do it right.
The whole idea of having hub centres is to quarantine players for the entire duration of play. To make sure they don’t get infected. Why in the world would they allow players, or anyone else in the bubble, leave the quarantined area? It defeats the entire purpose of quarantining in the first place.
No – that’s not what is being contemplated – they would be quarantined along with everyone else for the entire time.
They could easily load them on a bus and take a tour of Stanley Park, for example.
I’d like the Oilers to try and trade Jesse and their first to Montreal and get low enough to draft perfetti. Montreal how so many picks and small skilled players could be a win – win
The OIlers need a 2nd round draft pick to get Neighbours.
Early twenties is too high. He can play with skill, but I think Guenther was the driving the bus.
GORDIEHOWEHATTRICK pointed out that Kaldis’ picture shows him shooting left. EliteProspects appears to be mistaken and LT was correct in listing him as a LD.
He does look like he could be a real quality player for the Condors though.
Only required to be quarantined for fourteen days.
No offence, but it would be utter madness if they allowed people to leave the quarantine area for any reason other than an emergency.
The ultimate shutdown line: Mark Messier, Dale Hawerchuk, Glen Anderson.
It’s pretty easy to control when and where they go.
OriginalPouzar,
Planning a trip to Finland? If so, say hi to Jesse for all of us.
Why in the world would you quarantine people and then let some of them come and go? I kinda defeats the purpose of the quarantine.
Pretty cavalier with peoples families. Remember hockey players are first and most important, people. Sometimes we have a tendency to forget this. Playing hockey is what they do not who they are.
How do you know what families want. Did they call you?
I forgot about that signing – thank you.
Man, those numbers dwarf Rafferty’s – 2nd pairing – in the NHL in a year…….
He may be the Day-replacement for the offence first right shot guy.
I forgot about that signing – thank you.
Man, those numbers trump Rafferty’s – 2nd pairing – in the NHL in a year…….
He may be the Day-replacement for the offence first right shot guy.