By Jason Menard
You’re almost there, Gary. Winnipeg’s back, Quebec City may be on its way, and the National Hockey League’s realignment of teams into (relatively sensible) geographic regions has earned the league much praise. But one cosmetic change could make this realignment a historic success.
And that’s by embracing the league’s history. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
Will NHL fans come flocking back to the league? Absolutely — it’s part of who we are and it’s part of what makes us a community.
I was asked this question yesterday by an old friend Scott Kitching on Blackburn Radio and I replied honestly: some fans may want to play hard ball, but once they start seeing the previous night’s highlights on TV, hearing the fans banter on sports talk radio, or overhearing the annual debates around the watercooler, they’ll want to be part of the action again.
Being an NHL fan isn’t just a choice — it’s a feeling.
And while I said and believed it yesterday; today I felt it for the first time in a long time. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
For a country that’s known for quiet pride, politeness, and generally being unassuming on a global scale, when it comes to hockey, we can crank up the hyperbole machine with the best of them.
Don’t be surprised by a rise in carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of all the national hand-wringing brought about by the combination of the National Hockey League’s lock-out and a fourth-place finish by our under-20 squad at the World Junior Hockey Championship. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
Hockey is a part of our national identity; Hockey Night in Canada is a part of our national history. That distinction alone is why the ongoing debate about the CBC’s involvement in NHL broadcasts should come down to nothing more than finances.
Like clockwork, every year someone somewhere questions the CBC’s involvement in Hockey Night in Canada. This year, it was an article published in the Toronto Star that opined about a potential bidding war between the Bell and Rogers-owned media giants and our national, publicly funded broadcaster. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
I have a confession to make – I like the film Bloodsport. I know it’s cheesy, campy, and poorly acted, but it also takes me back to a time when I was 15 and still heavily involved in karate. I thoroughly enjoyed the file despite its violence, gore, and cracking bones, because I was strongly aware of the fact that it was fantasy.
But there appears to be another sequel on the market – the NHL – and while Jean Claude Van Damme could head back to his trailer after the director said cut, wipe off the stage blood, and get on with his life, the actors in this modern production have no such luxury. Continue reading
The M-Dash by Jason Menard 