Thursday, May 22, 2008

Haber/McLellan and a Cute Kyle Beach

  • Marc Habscheid, get out the resume. The Vancouver Canucks ushered out assistant coaches Mike Kelly and Barry Smith on Wednesday. Why would I suggest Habscheid for one of the two vacant spots in Alain Vigneault's coaching staff? Haber is simply to good of a coach to be watching from the sidelines. It's time for the former Kelowna Rockets head coach to get back in the game.
  • So you don't think Habscheid would be candidate? Don't forget that in June of 2006 the 'Province' newspaper reported that Habscheid interviewed for the vacant head coaching job with the Canucks when Mark Crawford was let go.
  • I have mixed feelings when picking a winner in the Stanley Cup final. I would side with Detroit only for the fact I would like to see Wings assistant coach Todd McLellan hoist the cup. I had the privilege of being the broadcaster of the Swift Current Broncos when McLellan was guiding the ship before we both left the organization after the 1999-2000 season. Todd went to Houston and I landed in Kelowna. Let's just say his acceleration to the NHL was a little quicker than mine.
  • How cool would it be to see the Wings win the Stanley Cup with former Spokane head coach Mike Babcock guiding Detroit, and then having the Chiefs capture the Memorial Cup in the same season?
  • The Penguins have 13 former first round draft picks. The Wings have just 3.
  • Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton has just returned from the Memorial Cup in Kitchener. Hamilton says the three games he saw were outstanding, and the city of Kitchener has put on a terrific show in hosting the event. Hamilton says Kitchener is another example of how successful a Memorial Cup can be in a smaller center. Granted Kitchener is no Prince Albert (Kitchener's population is 250 thousand), but Hamilton says it would be nice to see a smaller center get the tournament when the WHL has it's turn in 2010. Next years M.C will be held in Rimouski Quebec.
  • As Spokane Chiefs play-by-play man Mike Boyle prepares to broadcast the Memorial Cup final, it would be best that he prepares himself mentally and emotionally for what could be one of the best experiences in his broadcasting career. In 2004 when the Rockets faced Gatineau in the MC final, I fought back emotion in the final 10 minutes of the 3rd period as the Rockets held on to a 2-1 lead. When the game was over I had the luxury of doing on-ice interviews with the Rockets as they celebrated, yet I was caught between hugging them and interviewing them. I didn't care how it looked. After being with those special athletes all season long, I was happy to see them accomplish their goal.
  • I know many fans across the WHL who hate Kelowna resident Kyle Beach. But honestly how can you have such a bad taste in your mouth for a kid as cute as Kyle?

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