Odds & Ends

- Last year I made a pact with myself that I'd go for early morning runs after the hockey season... and I went once. It was in early May, and it was -2, and I wore a touque. I've tied my 2008 record, having ran down 1st Ave North in Yorkton at about 5:50 this morning. Let's see if I can keep 'er going a little longer than last year. I'm a skinny/fat 190 lbs. Skinny top half, fat middle and bottom. So running's not really my thing... but it wakes a person up, so that's good.

- Congrats to Yorkton's Justin Bernhardt, who inked a 3-year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes this week. Bernhardt led the Prince Albert Raiders, and was 5th in WHL scoring in 2008-09 with 92 points (35-57-92). I'm trying to set something up with him this morning, so stay tuned to the blog and GX Sports at noon for that.


- Gotta feel for Watson's Dustin Tokarski. The Spokane Chiefs' tender made 41 saves in a 1-0 overtime loss to the Vancouver Giants in Game 7 of their Western Conference Semi-Final last night. The series essentially went 9 games, with a total of 6 overtime periods happening, including 4OT in Game 5's 3-2 Spokane victory. Tokarski made 36 saves on 39 shots in Game 1, followed by 30/34, 16/18, 41/41, 60/62, 37/40, 41/42... for a save percentage of .946% in the series, .968% over their final four games. Tokarski's won a Telus Cup with the P.A. Mintos, WHL and Memorial Cup Championship with the Chiefs last year, and a World Junior Gold Medal this past January. Not bad. He's a smaller goalie, but with Tampa Bay's so-so goaltending situation, I wouldn't put it past him cracking the Lightning in the next couple years. He's 19 now, and will more than likely AT LEAST be in the AHL next year.

- With the Chiefs losing, it does mean the Ed Chynoweth Cup will be back north of the border this season. Spokane and Tri-City were the only two American teams in Round 2, and they were both knocked out. The Chiefs by Vancouver, and the 2nd seeded Americans by #4 Kelowna. So it's an all-B.C. Division West Final, while the Central Division and league-leading Calgary Hitmen are into the East Final, against the Brandon Wheat Kings, who represent the East Division. Both teams have SWEPT their way to the Confernece Final, going 8-and-0 to this point. BWK/CAL start Friday, VAN/KEL get 'er going Satuday night. Brandon defenseman Colby Robak (Gilbert Plains, MB) exploded for 3-goals and 2-assists in their Game 4 win over Medicine Hat in Round 2. I had the pleasure of watching Colby as a 15-year-old with the Parkland Rangers of the MBAAAHL while working in Dauphin. He's quite the talent... don't be surprised if he's wearing a maple leaf in Saskatoon/Regina this coming Christmas. He'll be 19 next season.

- Any Facebook friends of mine, or GX94 listeners who heard my daily editorial at 7:45 this morning, know I'm a Tornoto Maple Leafs' fan, but can't believe Brian Burke actually thinks has a shot at getting John Tavares in this summer's draft. The New York Islanders won the lottery yesterday, and Garth Snow and Charles Wang are smoking something funny if they do anything but take Tavares. I have no idea what Burke thinks he can offer up to the Islanders to make them even consider not keeping the pick. I wish they'd be patient and keep their high end picks... maybe hope Luke Schenn's baby brother Brayden's around when they pick 7th. The St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks have gone from brutal to the playoffs in a short period of time, not by making big splashes, but by building through the draft. The L.A. Kings and Phoenix Coyotes will be next. Leafs are further away than both clubs right now.

- Playoffs start tonight! Half the first round matchups go tonight, the other 4 tomorrow. There's no question I wish I was going to Portage with the Melville Millionaires this weekend, but I find a little comfort in the fact that I can catch the entire first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

- And oh yeah... the MJHL's Beausejour Blades are moving (again), this time to Steinbach. Hopefully this move will be the one that gets the Blades franchise to turn around. They've had a tough go the last few seasons as the Southeast Blades, and most recently in Beausejour. I wonder if they'll be called the Steinbach Blades, or if they'll drop the Blades name and go a different direction. Steinbach's also the home of the "AAA" Midget Eastman Selects. Good luck to the Blades, and their Media Man Scott Unger. He's good people.