LOTS TO GET TO

A lot happened over the weekend, on and off the ice, in hockey and other sports, so I'll do by best to cram it all into one.

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Guy Vestby, a key player in getting the Stampeders franchise off the ground 12 years ago, and a fixture with the organization ever since, is no longer with the club.

I caught wind of this early Saturday morning, and sent him a text to confirm, and he said it was true.

With this happening right after he made several trades, my first instinct was that the executive relieved him of his duties, but Guy told me he resigned. When I asked for a reason why, he said "you're a smart guy, you'll figure it out."

Thanks for the compliment Guy, but I don't have hit figured out yet!

Until then, let the rumours begin.

Was he squeezed by the board, with this year's team struggling in the standings? Was the board not happy with the recent flurry of trades? Was the GM-Coach tandem of Vestby and Dwayne Kirkup becoming rocky? Was it a 'quit or be fired' situation?

Questions I'd like to ask, but no one aside from Guy responded to my messages over the weekend. I'm sure someone will sometime Monday morning.

Guy is one of the 'originals' from when I started at GX and I've enjoyed getting to know him and working with him. He was the Coach & GM my first two seasons here, and led a young team to a 7-game series against the eventual league champion Portage Terriers in season one.

I still remember my first Stamps broadcast, in Portage, and doing my first Pre Game interview with Guy, outside the back door at that old barn, while he puffed a dart!

I always enjoyed our chats... was never tough to fill 5 minutes with him!

Now, where do the Stampeders go from here? It looks like Dwayne Kirkup will assume the GM role, at least for the rest of this year, maybe beyond.

After splitting a home and home with Neepawa over the weekend, the Stamps are 11 points out of a playoff spot as they near the middle point of the season. Not insurmountable, but not easy.

I've got Wayway @ Dauphin on Tuesday, and Swan Valley @ OCN on Wednesday... so lots of MJHL action coming your way this week.

Unofficially, give or take one or two either way, but I'm pretty sure Tuesday's broadcast in Dauphin will be my 400th Play by Play game on the radio. Assuming I'm still doing this next year, #500 should be roughly this time next season.

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Terrier forward Zak Majkowski has been named the SJHL's Player of the Week, while his teammate Warren Shymko was given the nod for top Goalie over the past seven days.

Yorkton beat Melville twice on the weekend to really tighten up the middle of the Sherwood Conference.

It sure didn't take long for the landscape of the Sherwood Conference to change.

Going into the weekend, there was a "top three", a "bottom two", and then the Terriers, on an island, by themselves in fourth place.

Now, after two Terrier wins, two Estevan losses and two Melville losses, there's now a "top one" (Weyburn), a "middle three" and a "bottom two."

Yorkton's just one point back of third place Estevan with a game in hand, and only two back of Melville for 2nd.

Yorkton and Melville both have most of this week off, before Battleford makes a swing this way on the weekend.

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