1. I think the off season has yet to start for ICE Head Coach Mark Holick who has been to Toronto to interview for a coaching position with Hockey Canada’s U-18 team and then to the USA to help with the WHL’s annual California camp.
2. I think I’m looking forward to interviewing Cory Clouston later this week and get his impressions of the NHL.
3. I think Spokane will win game 7 tomorrow in Vancouver.
4. I think I’m not sure about Vancouver goalie Tyson Sexsmith. He has a WHL record 26 career shutouts but there are reports he has let in some soft goals against Spokane. But everytime there is doubt about his play he turns around and plays unbeatable.
5. I think the Calgary/Brandon East Final has the making of being a classic. Both teams are well balanced. The difference may be the Hitmen’s dominance at home this season. Going into the post season I had the Wheat Kings as the darkhorse.
6. I think that in the NHL playoffs my final four are San Jose, Detroit, Washington and Philadelphia. I have picked the Sharks to win the Cup the last 4 years so they can be heartbreakers. Red Wings and Flyers have question marks with their goaltending. But all 16 teams in the playoffs have imperfections and that makes this years playoffs wide open.
7. I think it’ll be an interesting off-season in the WHL with coaching hirings. Everett and Chilliwack have openings. Prince George ended the season with an interim Head Coach. There are rumblings in Lethbridge that there could be a change. In Saskatoon there are thoughts Lorne Molleken may concentrate on his GM duties and hire a coach.
8. I think the debate of the overtime/shootout results in the regular season will never go away. As I expressed a few months ago, I don’t like games being decided in a shootout. I am more concerned about the last 10 minutes of the 3rd period when it’s a tie game and both teams don’t want to lose the chance to get at least 1 point. Plus overtime used to be so boring as most teams played careful so the other team didn’t get the extra point. At least with a potential of a shootout the overtimes have been more entertaining to watch.
A regulation win should be 4 points. Overtime win 3 points. Shootout win 2 points. Overtime or shootout loss 1 point. Imagine the 3rd period of a game that is tied. Do you want the win and 4 points or not.
9. I think whoever wins the NHL Draft Lottery Tuesday will select John Tavares. I think the Islanders will hang on to the #1 selection.
10. I think these are my non-hockey thoughts.
a) I think I really enjoyed what I saw of this years’ Masters. Nice to see some low scores but still the potential of some double and triple bogeys.
b) I think Angel Cabrera looks like the Dr. Octopus from Spiderman movie.
c) I think I would be a fan of Tigers Woods if I didn’t have to listen to the announcers. It’s like the Twilight Zone episode where everyone had to have happy thoughts around a kid or he would do something really bad to you. He curses and throws his clubs, which doesn’t offend me, but if anyone else acted like that they would be criticized.
d) I think watching the World Mens Curling Final was tough to watch as I still don’t understand why Canada’s Kevin Martin threw away his 1st rock.