Spott on

Current number two in the Western Conference, Kitchener has as good a chance as any to come out of this region later in the year. According to GM and Head Coach, Steve Spott, the Rangers sat idle on deadline day because they did the bulk of their spending/dealing earlier in the season. It was a patch up job, really. Blind-sided, Spott and company had to replace the gaping losses of Jeff Skinner and Jeremy Morin, both of whom were prematurely poached by the NHL. Another reason Kitchener stood pat, Spott's lack of interest in dealing away too many more picks. He says he's a true believer in building a team through the draft, even going as far as to suggest the current trend of swapping picks like poker chips has become a become a problem in the OHL. 33 selections exchanged hands between Saturday and Monday's trade deadline. 24 players picked up, packed up and left for new digs.

Paced by NHL draft favourite, Gabriel Landeskog who Spott compares to Mike Richards, and motivated by the memory of last Spring's playoff collapse to Windsor, the Rangers are back for another legitimate run at a Wayne Gretzky trophy. If they get that hardware, it'll most likely come with an invite to Mississauga. Because let's be honest. Based on what the Majors are doing in the East, the probability is high a berth in the Ontario final also means a place in the National Final. It's an enticing, mouth-watering possibility not lost on the contenders in the West.

Hockey Heaven

Isn't it liberating to watch hockey, playoff hockey, intense, nail biting, holy-shit-this-is-killin-me kind of hockey unattached? It's a Spring tradition for Leafs supporters so it has to be rationalized somehow. Plus it gets easier as it becomes more often. I care to watch. I just don't care who wins. As for who loses? I'm not that vindictive...

Still 6?

If there's a team that can overcome a ridiculous deficit to win a series it's the Windsor Spitfires. On paper, minus it's goaltending, it's one of the nastiest Junior hockey line-ups ever. The scary thing, it's getting better. The Spits owned game 5 at WFCU. From the 2nd period on, it was lopsided. Now I'm wondering: was Thursday's win a discovery of "that other gear", or simply a last gasp before relinquishing the title Friday night back in K-Town?

Look out

I know Steve Spott is a concerned head coach right now. As hockey writer, Garrett Bauman pointed out to me earlier this week, Spott's Rangers allowed a sleeping giant to awake from it's slumber when they couldn't sweep the set Tuesday in Kitchener. Despite the looming danger of a full fledged Spitfires' comeback I'm still going with the Rangers to win the series in 6. Am I totally confident it's going to happen? About as confident as the Rangers must be that they can put it away.

*Kitchener has failed to close out a pair of series on home ice in these playoffs. A 3rd strike infront of their faithful, at least in a hockey sense, could finally prove fatal.

Not enough

The Rangers will still beat the Spitfires. It'll take 6 games. They do it, finally, on home ice.

Why?

Windsor's game 4 win, just barely, wasn't nearly emphatic enough. Nothing about it said, "look the fuck out." The goaltending, like London's before it, is failing. The defence isn't much better. Both are having trouble withstanding Kitchener's impressive onslaught, and it's highly doubtful either will be able to hold it down for the full life of the series.

Suppose the important thing for Boughner's boyz is that there's another game to be played? Another day to be enjoyed? Another crack at keeping the title? Yeah, right.

Unfortunately for the Champs, their reign is winding down. What appears to have become a matter of hockey life and death for the Windsor Spitfires is really only a matter of time.

That a Boyd

Weird, watching your team and not really caring if it wins. I wouldn't describe it as apathy. Acceptance, yeah that's more like it. A win over the Senators in the final game of the season would've meant what? Pride? Development? Standing? None of it matters on a night like this. Hey, what ever happened to that battle of Ontario anyway? Sure, a Leafs loss tonight might have had them selecting in the top 5 this June, but even that juicy possibility didn't have many of us oooooing and aaaahhhing one way or the other. Its been a long year. Let's just get it over with. If anything, I wanted to see some of the players pad their stats on the final night. One: for me to look at. I love pouring over sports statistics. Two: for some of the others to use as ammo in their summer job search.

Go get'em, BD


Boyd Devereaux

Doubt there's a nicer more genuinely liked guy on the team than Seaforth's favourite son. Well, its either Boyd or Lloyd...Eisler. Ring a bell? You know, the figure skater. He's from Seaforth too and is in the running with Boyd for Seaforth's favourite son. Boyd or Lloyd: Who will it be? More at 11. Anyway, I don't mean to talk about Boyd like he's the local nitwit who everyone should feel sorry for, but really, its not hard to gush over the type of guy he is. He's just plain friendly. He's just plain likable. Traits I found out about first hand, oh geez...almost 10 years ago now. A few months into my first TV job I was assigned to cover a Kitchener Rangers practice. I think, the fall of '99? Anyway, I was in one of the many corridors of the Aud waiting for a few players to come out for interviews when I met Boyd who was back in town for a visit while stationed with the Oilers' former AHL club in Hamilton. He realized I was from the local TV station and asked how a colleague of mine was doing. Most former junior players return to their junior hockey towns, but its rare for them to consider anyone from the media when they do. I asked how things were going with the Oilers and he was candid in telling me that he wasn't doing enough to stay in the show. He did promise however he'd continue to work hard to get back under the bright lights at some point soon. Heck, he even helped me corrale Derek Roy who was in his rookie year with the Rangers. Man, Derek couldn't even string a sentence together back in those days. Its amusing to watch him do interviews now. He's polished, to the point and smooth. To think of how far he's come when talking to the media is pretty wild. Again though, it was really nice of Boyd to help a TV rookie like me, who like him, was just trying to make a positive and lasting impression on management, just trying to live his dream.

Skip ahead

All these years, a Stanley Cup, and 6 teams later we watch as Boyd now a 12 year NHL veteran, struggles to stay relevant in a league he's hoping hasn't passed him by. Credit Brian Burke for figuring out a way to recall him. Credit BB for giving him every opportunity to show the hockey world he belongs somewhere next season, perhaps beyond. Here's hoping Boyd's late season scoring surge secures him a job next fall. Hey, a hat trick Saturday, 6 goals in his past 8 games. That's making a statement. And of course, each goal earned with hard work, a trademark smile and innate sportsmanship. Someone sign this guy up.


Cup champ in '02

BTW

What's with Grapes going off on Ron Wilson? Obviously there's bad blood, but is it mutual? I get the sense this "feud", if you can call it that, has been manufactured by Cherry's people. I do like how was talking up Boyd Devereaux though. Anything to help a good guy land a job is fine by me. Anyway, I think Ron should respond to Mighty Mouth. He did with a sarcastic Howard Berger and put him in his place. Then again, RW wouldn't be looking down on this opponent. In the end it could be more trouble than its worth.

Thanks for a...nother season.

Sens stink

I thought I had a gut feeling about the Sens before the playoffs started. It turned out to be indigestion. I've still got it, but nowhere near as bad as what Bryan Murray and the rest of his staff must be feeling tonight.

The capital city is a bloody mess, but wait 'til that Pens' broom finishes the job tomorrow night. Let's just say I'd hate to be on that aftermath clean up crew in Ottawa. The Melnyk axe is going to fall.. quickly and brutally.

Two more Quacker losses 'til the end of Anaheim's season.. and shortly after Brian Burke's tenure in So-Cal.

Rangers over the Greyhounds in 5 games. London's Kyle Gajewski is good, but a miracle worker he aint. That's what the Soo needs to overthrow Kitchener. Not happening.