SIMMONS SUNDAY: New Hockey Canada board have to be numerous, inclusive

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How do you discover a board of individuals to take over Hockey Canada and ensure they totally comprehend the complexities of their circumstances and the number of roles concerned within the group?

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The board has to seem like Canada — white, black, brown, Asian, males, girls, indigenous, and nearly all the things else. It has to characterize who this nation is and what it might probably develop into.

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It has to have an absolute understanding of the 2 most essential features of Hockey Canada, which by themselves are contradictory. They’ve to grasp elite growth, which is what Hockey Canada, from a taking part in sense, has all the time performed nicely. However, simply as importantly, they’ve to grasp the roots of the sport, the youngsters, boys, and women, taking part in home league and native league and no matter ranges of rep hockey there’s in each province.

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The youngsters who received’t be turning professional, taking part in world junior, advancing past their very own neighbourhoods. They had been those ignored by Hockey Canada lengthy earlier than there was any form of scandal or slush funds recognized about. The bulk all the time get pushed to the aspect in hockey.

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Had been their ages not what they’re I’d contemplate Ken Dryden, Dave King and Sherry Bassin for senior board positions at Hockey Canada, all of whom have succeeded at numerous ranges within the sport. However they’re the improper age now. So I feel I’d begin with Hayley Wickenheiser and provide her the position of chairman of the board — or presumably CEO.

Behind her and round her you will want attorneys and accountants and coaches and everyman form of individuals, those that perceive hockey and media relations and human relations and enterprise and the way essential hockey and Hockey Canada is to this nation.

Changing the board and senior government Scott Smith was the simple half, though it took means, means, means too lengthy. The onerous half now: Discovering the precise individuals and restoring confidence throughout the nation in a company that misplaced its means.

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THIS AND THAT

For this reason the Ottawa Senators principally gave Matt Murray to the Maple Leafs. They paid him to go away as a result of they couldn’t belief him to be wholesome. And the group and the teaching workers stopped believing in him. When that occurs to any group you don’t have any likelihood of success. Now Murray is a Leaf, and one sport in he’s injured. And should you had been questioning about him previous to the season, you have got extra motive to marvel now …. Petr Mrazek was injured in his first begin with the Leafs final season and by no means actually recovered from it. His solely season in Toronto was slightly dreadful … Are we on the level the place we’re virtually taking Connor McDavid with no consideration? He scores three targets towards nice goalie Thatcher Demko in a come-from-behind win on opening evening within the NHL and we form of shrug and transfer on. Prefer it’s nothing. McDavid recorded 123 factors final season, probably the most he’s ever had. However after recording 33 in 16 playoff video games, I can see him with 140 or extra factors this yr in Edmonton … For the report, deserving Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews has 33 playoff factors as nicely. In his profession. Over six playoff seasons … In the event you add WHA targets to NHL targets, which hockey historical past has conveniently ignored, Gordie Howe is the all-time scoring chief with 975, 35 greater than Wayne Gretzky. In the event you add the skilled targets Alexander Ovechkin scored in Russia earlier than coming to the NHL, he could be at 816 targets. As a substitute, proper now, the official depend is Gretzky at 894, Howe at 801, and Ovie at 780. Ovie will go Howe halfway via this season … The primary 5 years of Joe Namath’s profession had been within the AFL. The following eight years had been within the NFL. Twelve of his 13 professional seasons had been with the New York Jets. All of his Jets statistics at the moment are thought-about NFL stats. The 43 targets Gretzky scored for the Edmonton Oilers earlier than they joined the NHL don’t depend on his all-time stats. Like they by no means occurred.

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HEAR AND THERE

What the Blue Jays count on from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is what Yordan Alvarez has produced within the playoffs for the Houston Astros. They’re fairly related statistically and Alvarez received two video games with big residence runs. The final two seasons, Guerrero hit 80 residence runs, Alvarez hit 70. Alvarez is 2 years older than Guerrero … Think about booing Aaron Choose? It’s occurring in New York. After his season for the ages. And what have you ever performed for me currently? … The Blue Jays are doing inner work on what their infield defence would possibly seem like as soon as the shift is faraway from baseball. What they’re going to have to find out is whether or not Bo Bichette can proceed at shortstop with out the benefit of the shift … What the shift did to baseball was take away too many instinctual particular person infield performs, particularly at second base and shortstop and, hopefully, that may return when the facility of the pc nerd is lessened. I cherished baseball finest when Ozzie Smith was doing the inconceivable at shortstop and Roberto Alomar and Frank White had been taking part in second base like nobody else. Hopefully, that form of play returns subsequent season with the standard of athletes we now see in baseball … If Matt Chapman doesn’t win the gold glove at third base within the American League, managers who occur to be the voters aren’t paying consideration … It’s fairly doubtless the Jays will commerce a catcher within the low season. I hope it isn’t Alejandro Kirk. His bat, by no means thoughts the remainder of his sport, is among the many most reliable in baseball … Right here is the unending downside with second-guessing managerial selections. The choice is deemed appropriate when the participant does the job supposed. The choice is questioned when the participant doesn’t get it performed. If supervisor John Schneider pulls Kevin Gausman for Tim Mayza, and Mayza will get the following out, there’s no argument from final Saturday’s debacle. Is that on the supervisor or is that on Mayza? And had Scott Servais’ determination to have Robbie Ray pitch to Alvarez in Sport 1 labored out, that will have been thought-about the right willpower. The supervisor is true when the participant executes it proper … The Blue Jays will re-up Schneider as supervisor inside the subsequent two weeks. Say this a lot for the energetic Schneider: He didn’t ask to verify anybody’s ear between playoff innings … Seeing Ray pitching in aid for Seattle jogged my memory of Steve Rogers pitching in aid for the Montreal Expos. And that’s a foul reminiscence … If the Jays need to retain Ross Stripling, they’ll need to qualify him at $18.4 million for subsequent season. Until they need to signal him long-term for one thing like three years and $30 million. Both means, it seems as if Stripling and the Jays are parting methods except the Jays actually need to overpay for his companies … Will Houston be the one 100-win group left standing by the tip of this playoff baseball weekend?

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SCENE AND HEARD

What a difficult begin the Raptors have to start their season: Cleveland at residence then a sport in Brooklyn, two in Miami, two towards Philadelphia. That’s a variety of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, and Joel Embiid early within the season. If you may get via that at 3-3 that’s greater than an affordable starting for a brand new marketing campaign … The Raps’ largest stars stay coach Nick Nurse and membership president Masai Ujiri however that may change as soon as Scottie Barnes finds his legs utterly and turns into a dominant multi-faceted NBA participant … Barnes beat out Evan Mobley of the Cavs for rookie of the yr and the voting was shut: Of the 100 votes forged, 48 had been for Barnes, 43 for Mobley. A pleasant opening evening matchup despite the fact that they don’t actually play the identical place — though I don’t know what place Barnes performs besides all of them … The Raptors are taking part in it very cautious with veteran shooter Otto Porter Jr., who has a hamstring harm. The Raps want Porter’s taking pictures — he’s virtually a 40% profession shooter from three-point land. Toronto wants him wholesome. He received’t be rushed again … Ideas and prayers for the large fellow, Dikembe Mutombo, who’s present process remedy for a mind tumour. He’s solely 56 years outdated … Mookie Betts turned 30 and did what all of us did after we turned 30. He had a bowling celebration for himself — after which threw himself an ideal sport … Luis Castillo’s profession within the post-season: Three begins, 14 innings pitched, solely given up 11 hits with 12 strikeouts. He has not but walked a batter and allowed simply 4 runs with a WHIP of 0.91. Lacking out on Castillo goes to harm Ross Atkins for a very long time … Bruce Cassidy is wowing individuals already in his early days teaching the Vegas Golden Knights … The Montreal Alouettes are 7-5 since Danny Maciocia fired Khari Jones as head coach. The Argos end the season with back-to-back video games towards the Als. First place within the East, the place Argos have been all season, continues to be to be decided. And out of the blue, Hamilton and Saskatchewan are tied for the ultimate playoff spot — crossover or not — at a awful 6-10. A group with a 7-11 report might wind up within the playoffs though that’s not precisely new. The 5-11 Ottawa Tough Riders virtually received the 1981 Gray Cup towards the dynastic group from Edmonton, who completed 14-1-1 that yr … TSN’s finest transfer of the season, transferring my bud Dave Naylor to their soccer panel. Naylor’s made it livelier and higher.

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AND ANOTHER THING

Forty years of masking the NHL and right here is my private all-star group, 4 from every place, six from defence to start a brand new season, gamers I’ve lined or had the pleasure of watching up shut: Centre: Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, McDavid, Sidney Crosby; Proper wing: Man Lafleur, Mike Bossy, Jaromir Jagr, Pavel Bure; Left wing: Ovechkin, Michel Goulet, Paul Kariya, Luc Robitaille. Defence: Nick Lidstrom, Denis Potvin, Ray Bourque, Larry Robinson, Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer. Aim: Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Andrei Vasilevskiy. Coaches: Scotty Bowman, Bob Johnson, Al Arbour … It should sting to be Nick Robertson proper now, realizing the one motive you’re not taking part in within the NHL is due to the tightness of the Maple Leafs wage cap scenario. He principally made the group in coaching camp. He didn’t make the spreadsheet … Despite their goofy title, the Cleveland Guardians are my de-facto favorite massive league group nonetheless within the playoffs, primarily due to their Canadian content material. They’ve Paul Quantrill’s son, Cal, of their beginning rotation. He’s from Port Hope. They usually have the Naylor brothers from Mississauga, Josh and Bo … Not less than 10 of the 32 groups within the NFL have weak quarterbacking. That’s the way you get 12-7 video games on Thursday Evening Soccer … Comfortable for Andy Frost’s child, Morgan Frost, who scored two targets on opening evening for the Philadelphia Flyers. Morgan had solely scored seven NHL targets previous to this season … Steve Staios has left the championship Hamilton junior group for a front-office place with the Edmonton Oilers. May he wind up as the following GM as soon as Ken Holland decides to step down, which might be a yr or two away from occurring? … Coming quickly to a display screen close to you: A documentary on Harold Ballard. If performed correctly, it ought to make for fascinating viewing … The problem of fall golf: You hit your ball proper down the center and with all of the leaves on the golf green, you continue to can’t discover it … What had been the betting odds for this? A catcher hitting an inside-the-park residence run in a playoff baseball sport? … Comfortable birthday to Teoscar Hernandez (30), Willie O’Ree (87), Rocky Saganiuk (65), Jim Palmer (77), Sue Fowl (42), Wilf Paiement (67), Paul Kariya (48), Bryce Harper (30), Naomi Osaka (25), Jakob Poeltl (27) and Tim McCarver (81) … And, hey, no matter grew to become of Randy Carlyle?

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FORMER BRUINS SCOUT TINDALL SURE COULD TELL A STORY

Bob Tindall, the longtime scout with the Boston Bruins, who handed away just lately on the age of 86, cherished to inform the story concerning the uncertainty of the 1979 NHL Draft.
The Bruins had been choosing eighth total that yr and Bobby Orr was gone they usually wanted assistance on defence. The overall supervisor, Harry Sinden, and the scouting workers had centered on choosing Keith Brown, who had scored the exceptional whole of 96 factors taking part in with the Portland Winter Hawks. The plain decisions went early, Rob Ramage and Craig Hartsburg. Chicago had the seventh decide, one alternative earlier than the Bruins.
The Blackhawks stunned Boston and chosen Brown. Of their draft room, the Bruins had been something however glad. They known as day out. That they had not anticipated Brown being chosen. They yelled and screamed and argued after which screamed some extra. Tindall would recall the story with a giant smile on his face.
On the time, there was an actual stigma hooked up to taking gamers from the Quebec junior league and the large dangerous Bruins wished one thing else, another person.
However working out of time, and after calming down solely barely, the Bruins made a decide Sinden wasn’t sure about. They chose a defenceman from the Verdun Black Hawks, who had scored 93 factors himself in his ultimate yr of junior hockey.
The participant’s title: Raymond Bourque. Second finest defenceman in Bruins historical past. Prime 10 defenceman of all time. Perhaps Prime 5.
Prime 10 pleasant scouting storytellers of all time, perhaps Prime 5: The late Bob Tindall. Might he relaxation in peace.

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