Mitch Kasprick is now the “Westdale Curmudgeon”
Odds and Ends, Thoughts, and Questions from this past week in Hockey –
Just so there’s no confusion when I’m spewing my bias, I am a fan of the Winnipeg Jets, Arizona Coyotes, Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg Ice, and all Team Canada Hockey teams.
I am NOT a fan of Gary Bettman or as I call him, Count Chocula. I am a big believer in the 7Ps or is it the 8Ps? You’ve been warned.
June 4-10: NHL Scouting Combine
June 26: 2023 NHL Awards
June 28: Round 1 of the 2023 NHL Draft (7 p.m. ET)
June 29: Rounds 2-7 of the 2023 NHL Draft (11 a.m. ET)
You can listen to a more in-depth audio version here >>> Audio Version … Podcast is now live
PRO TIP: Listen to the audio version as you’re reading. Much more in-depth.
The Stanley Cup finalists aren’t quite set yet as Dallas staved off elimination by beating Vegas 4-2 on Saturday night in Vegas and now they have a chance to tie the series 3-3 at home in game 6. By the way Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final will now officially start on Saturday, June 3 at the home of the winner of the Dallas/Vegas series.
2. NHL: The NHL salary cap is $82,500,000 and of the three teams left Florida is at 87,391,384, Vegas is at 96,459,761 and the Dallas Stars are at a cap compliant $82,372,829. I know I talked about this last week and although this is allowed in the current CBA, I’m not okay with it and I’m certainly not alone.
3. WHC: On Sunday, Canada won its 5th World Hockey Championship in the past 8 years with a come-from-behind 5-2 win over Team Germany.
CANADA ARE GOLDEN!🏆🥇
🇨🇦 @HockeyCanada ARE THE 2023 #IIHFWorlds CHAMPIONS! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/zsYycMCDxN— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2023
4. WHC: Once again Canada gets the most out of the players that show up for this event. This team has always been about the name on the front of the jersey and not the name on the back. There is no I in team.
5. Jets: In case you were wondering what 35-year-old Bryan Little is up to nowadays, he trains for and participates in triathlons. He sure didn’t pick a cupcake sport, did he?
6. Jets: Shayna Goldman of The Athletic reports the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils and Ottawa Senators are the teams that have the assets and salary cap space to make a Connor Hellebuyck trade.
7. Jets: Logan Stanley’s name seems to be popping up frequently in Washington and Pittsburgh trade rumours and I wonder if there are any legs to the rumours or if it is just media speculation because it is common knowledge that Stanley has asked for a trade. I wonder what either team would offer? The Jets do need to make room for Ville Heinola. I can’t see him rotting in the AHL for another season.
8. Jets: Jets prospect Brad Lambert had an assist in his team’s 6-3 win over Peterborough in Memorial Cup action Saturday night in Kamloops. To be honest it was a very uneventful game for Lambert and hopefully, he picks up his game as the tournament goes on.
9. Jets: I don’t know about you Jets fans but I’m getting tired of all the ridiculous trade rumours out there about Jets players. For each one that makes sense, there are 100 that are just crap.
10. NHL: Odds and ends:
- Team Germany’s Silver Medal was their first WHC medal in 70 years.
- Adam Fantilli pulled off a rare double with Gold Medal wins at the WJHC and the WHC.
- Latvia’s Bronze Medal at the WHC was their first-ever medal at the World’s. FYI their best finish was 7th.
- I thought ex-Jets defenceman Tyler Myers played very well for Canada in the WHC.
- St.Louis Blues forward Sammy Blais came up big when it counted scoring 4 goals in Team Canada’s 3 elimination games including 2 goals in the Gold Medal game.
You can listen to a more in-depth audio version here >>> Audio Version … Podcast is now live
PRO TIP: Listen to the audio version as you’re reading. Much more in-depth.
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When Vegas punched their ticket to the cup final, Bettman soiled himself several times within the hour, prompting him to hire a full time diaper assistant to tend to these messy displays of joy. Flatulence is now an unpredictable crap shoot, (pun intended), between gas and solid, not unlike the raw sewage he spews at most public events. Like it or not, he gives the owners what they want…revenue. By doing this, he removes any hockey decision based on fan passion. I am not a fan of the commissioner, but he represents the owners in the league, who bear equal responsibility in steering the league, and he would be long gone if his ideas didn’t please them.
Hi Les … thanks for visiting … the Canadian owners need to stand up and shake their fists … it is not a level playing field.