well hello there

Saskatoon has been an interesting city of late when it comes to the league. Brayden Schenn made his debut on Saturday after the two player four draft pick trade for him and another player at the trade deadline on January 11 with an assist. At the same game a 34 year old man was arrested trying to steal the banner which honours Blades great Bernie Ferderko. He has been charged with theft under $5000, as a matter of fact he should have been charged with public endangerment as well as the catwalk those banners reside upon are 52' above the ice. Had he slipped and fell or anything in his pockets slipped and fell it would have fell on a spectator with risk of serious injury at best and possibly worse. Regardless I think his lawyer might have some grounds to get him an absolute discharge on being a drunken ass clown...

Also out of Saskatoon is the fact Lorne Molleken one of the straightest shooters in the league is approaching a career milestone of 500 victories as a head coach. Mooner as he is commonly known is someone who will look you in the eye tell you how it is whether he is pleased with you or not and if he was not pleased it will not bother him the next day. Coach Molleken is something that is sorrowfully lacking in the game of hockey in junior and the pros, a real straight shooter. I am not sure if people do not have thick enough skins to hear it how it is but he will tell you how it is.

I think a testament to his coaching is the Hamilton Bulldogs team he coached in the 90's that produced such character players as Ryan Smyth and George Laraques. Early last year staff from Copps Coliseum were in Saskatoon on other business and ran into Mr. Molleken and for them the highlight of the trip was not the fact finding they undertook but getting to catch up with an all around great guy as they called him...

Cory Wolfe has a great article on this accomplishment right here. As it stands as of this writing Lorne might be at 500 by the time the final whistle sounds in Edmonton tomorrow.

Over the weekend much was made about the Vancouver Giants training staff having a brain fart and forgetting to put one thing on the bus... THEIR JERSEYS... In defense of the training staff the players load the bus and is usually part of the rookie, second year player duties to load the bus. I would hate to see what the players were fined for this grievous mistake especially since Coach Hay has now come out and admitted how they were publicly embarrassed by the Giants having to do this. I did not see any thanks in any way shape or form to the Kamloops Blazers for helping them out. Knowing the code amongst trainers it really was nothing and the Blazers will be treated like kings next time they visit Van-City...

TONIGHT

Saskatoon @ Calgary

Brandon @ Lethbridge

Medicine Hat 4 Regina 3 FINAL

Moose Jaw 4 Swift Current 3 FINAL

TOMORROW

Saskatoon @ Edmonton

Brandon @ Kootenay

Chilliwack @ Portland

Medicine Hat @ Prince Albert

Kamloops @ Prince George

Lethbridge @ Red Deer

Everett @ Spokane