What a game!

Just finished watching an epic marathon game between the Vancouver Giants and the Spokane Chiefs. It wound up going into the fourth overtime before Spokane's Blake Gal was able to put it away; he wound up with a breakaway in transition after the Chiefs' Dustin Tokarski made a save at the other end. Mike Berube of the Giants caught him and lifted his stick, but wound up knocking the puck into his own net past a surprised Tyson Sexsmith, who was readying himself for a deke from Gal. It was the second-longest game in WHL history.

It's games like this that prove how much fun a good junior hockey game can be. This one was certainly worth the time invested; both of these teams have tons of talent and it was tremendous to watch them battling full-tilt as the night went on. The great thing about the WHL in my mind is the consistent emphasis on defence, checking and goaltending; I've seen plenty of OHL and QMJHL games over the years, but they often seem to turn into just players floating around the offensive zone and refusing to backcheck. Sometimes, good defence is just as much fun to watch as all-out shootouts. Tonight's game, which turned into a great goaltending duel between Tokarski and Sexsmith, was a tremendous example.

This could wind up being a key moment in the WHL playoffs. The defending Memorial Cup champion Chiefs have now won three straight games and lead their series against the Giants 3-2. They're clicking just at the right time, while the Giants seem to be faltering a bit, and the Chiefs now have all the momentum going into Sunday's game back in Spokane. This Vancouver team is no stranger to adversity, though, and they put up a superb 57-10-5 record this year (second in the WHL behind only the Calgary Hitmen). Don't count them out before the final green light flashes.

See Marc Weber's coverage over at The Dub Hub for more details on the game.

Real life Slap Shot: Gilmour comes to run the Fronts

According to TSN.ca, Doug Gilmour will be officially announced as the new head coach of the Kingston Frontenacs today. At first, that seems like a decent idea; just about anyone behind the bench would probably be an improvement over Larry Mavety, and the team has some talented players, so a coaching change might make a difference there. Gilmour's status as a local hockey legend also adds to the respect he'll get from the players. He has some coaching and player development experience as well, working as an advisor to the Leafs for two seasons and serving as a Marlies' assistant coach this year. His experience won't necessarily make him a great coach, but it certainly can't hurt.

More revealing, though, is Gilmour's recent cameo [Miss 604] in the soon-to-be-released Slap Shot 3: The Junior League, a straight-to-DVD movie. Perhaps he enjoyed seeing a gong show of a junior franchise on film and decided he'd go for the full experience? If so, he's certainly come to the right town: the Frontenacs are currently a bigger joke than anything in the movie will likely be. I usually avoid talking or writing about them due to this, but I still follow the team; it's gotten to the point where you don't even really need to read the stories any more though, as the losses have started to blur into each other.

I can see Gilmour as a good potential coach, but this is still probably a PR move from the organization's standpoint. The Frontenacs are sinking fast, and their tradition of mediocrity is no longer acceptable in town, especially considering the vast amounts of public money that went into building them a shiny new arena downtown. The team's personnel decisions and marketing efforts have been questioned at council meetings, and they're fast turning into solely a punchline. The vast numbers of fans disguised as empty seats at the K-Rock Centre is probably more worrying to owner Doug Springer than the team's 5-13-4-1 record (last in the OHL's East Division) and one regulation win in their past ten days. Bringing in Gilmour will reinvigorate local interest in and talk about the team, which was fast losing its relevance. However, the question remains as to how Gilmour will do in his first head coaching job, and more importantly, how much authority he'll be given.

It's been speculated for a while that Mavety wants to get out from behind the bench. As such, it's notable that all the information on this so far refers only to Gilmour as taking the head coach role. That would suggest that Mavety will stay on as general manager, and also that this plan may even have been his idea. Suddenly, he has a Kingston hero to deflect the ever-intensifying criticism. For an example of this, see Patrick Kennedy's piece in today's Kingston Whig-Standard which starts this way:

"The mystery and misery that is the 2008-09 Kingston Frontenacs continues to baffle and burn the diminishing base of faithful fans.

What in heaven's name is wrong with this outfit?

How can a team which offered so much promise at the end of last year, open this season - and if they don't wise up, said season could soon be closed - with just five wins in its first 23 games?

How can the Limestone lads be dead-last in the 20-team Ontario Hockey League?

In no particular order, folks wonder: What's wrong with the players? What's wrong with the coaching? What's wrong with the ownership?

What's wrong? In a word, plenty. The frightful Fronts secured their hold on the OHL basement last night with a 3-1 road loss to the Oshawa Generals, Kingston's ninth defeat in its past 10 outings."

That's pretty strong stuff, especially coming from a writer and media outlet that some, notably Tyler King, have repeatedly raked over the coals for being too positive towards the Frontenacs. Personally, I think the Whig's done a good job of telling what's going on without putting opinion into their news: their readers are intelligent enough to know how bad things are. Kennedy's piece today shows just how high the frustrations are getting, though, and that says a lot about the timing of this move.

Suddenly, Springer and Mavety, who have borne the brunt of the criticism thus far, have a convenient local hero to answer the questions and stand in the way of the flack. You can bet Gilmour will get more respect than either of them from the fans and the media, and deservedly so. The question is if he'll actually be given the authority to try and change the culture of defeat in the franchise. If so, then this could be a great decision and the start of a return to glory for the Frontenacs. However, if Mavety and Springer will be pulling Gilmour's strings from upstairs and watching his every move, then this will be a mere PR move that ultimately fails. Time will tell.

Duane has more at Out of Left Field, and I'm sure Neate will weigh in later. I'll update as info comes in.

Update, 2:59 P.M.: Neate has a great take on this, including the superb lines, "The only way to feel good about it is if Gilmour is trying out the coaching side before he buys the team lock, stock and barrel. Otherwise, this is intended to keep the diehards from organizing a Bring Your Own Pitchfork night at the K-Rock Centre."

Related:

- Neate's latest takedown on the team. [Out of Left Field]
- James Mirtle has a good take on how this won't be easy for Gilmour [From the Rink]
- Mirtle and PPP weigh in with some more links and thoughts [Pension Plan Puppets]
- "If nothing else, give Doug Gilmour credit" [Toronto Sports Media]
- "Gilmour takes over Frontenacs" [Terry Doyle, Loosepucks.com]
- "Doug Gilmour leaves Maple Leafs organization, set to coach Kingston" [Derek Harmsworth, Bleacher Report]
- Nathan Fournier weighs in [The World of Junior Hockey]

Scribblings of the Scribes of Sport: Gare Joyce's reflections on a tragedy

The recent death of Windsor Spitfires captain Mickey Renaud hit pretty close to home for me: when an apparently-healthy young athlete inexplicably collapses at the breakfast table, it's tough not to think about both your own mortality and the role athletes play in our lives.

Writing about a tragedy like this is a tough task, and it takes a special talent to portray someone accurately through the reminisces of friends and teammates.
It's also an incredibly difficult topic to tackle, especially given the insular nature of sports in general and junior hockey in particular: these already close-knit communities tend to close ranks even more after this sort of tragedy. Fortunately, Gare Joyce has what it takes to do the job, and turned out a tremendous piece for ESPN's Page 2, more than worthy of further analysis here.

Consider the title, "O captain, our captain," an allusion to Walt Whitman's poem about Lincoln's assassination, which was later famously referenced in Dead Poets' Society). It's more than a surface allusion, in my mind at least. Whitman's poem talks about how the ship's achieved its goals and come back to port safely, but the captain isn't there to see it. As he writes, "The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done/From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won...But I, with mournful tread/Walk the deck my Captain lies, fallen cold and dead." There are certainly similarities to the Renaud situation here: the Spitfires are doing well (35-15-11, third-best in the OHL's Western Conference) and have already clinched a playoff berth, but their captain won't be there to see any success that comes from his efforts.

The article continues on from this promising start in good fashion. Joyce begins with a poignant image of Spitfires' GM Warren Rychel shakily lacing up his skates while discussing the situation. As Joyce points out, it's interesting to see a former tough-as-nails player so deeply moved by this situation. "He had been a tough guy in the NHL, 400 games and dozens of brawls against the league's heavyweights, and now he was fighting back tears," he writes. "Again. No counting how many times over the past 10 days." This brief glimpse past the usual gruff and solid facade put up by many hockey players powerfully conveys the uniqueness, emotion and tragedy associated with this story─coming so early in the feature, it's a perfect answer to the ever-present question often leveled at sports features, "Why should we care?" The unexpected reaction shows there's a crucially important story here, and draws the reader's attention to what's to come.

A particularly interesting segment of the article focuses on one of Renaud's legacies: a pair of enormous work boots he came up with the idea for, to be awarded to the hardest-working player on a given night. The boots provide an insight into Renaud's character, as a leader, motivator and scrappy player, always looking for a way to give his team the edge.

Leadership is absolutely crucial in major junior hockey, perhaps more so than at any other level. At lower levels, many of the players are local, and the game isn't taken as seriously. At higher levels, it's a group of professionals. Sure, captains are still an important element in the NHL, but motivational speeches and inspiration likely don't play as big of a role among adult pros. University hockey needs leaders as well, but there's much less of an uprooting effect: many university players choose their school for other reasons than hockey, and those from out of town are often in the same boat as many other students. Hockey's also only part of their lives, as academics and social events occur outside the team bubble as well.

In major junior, as Joyce points out, the majority of the players have to leave their hometowns, their families and their friends at the age of 16. Hockey becomes a huge part─many would argue the central part─of their lives, and their social networks and day-to-day routines adjust accordingly. Also, most of the guys probably have the all-consuming desire to do well individually and attract NHL attention, perhaps spurred on by the knowledge that only a few of them will succeed. Synthesizing these diverse uprooted personalities, each with their own dreams and goals, into a cohesive unit is a difficult task for anyone. It's made even more difficult when the captain, expected to keep the team together and on the same page, is an adolescent himself dealing with many of the same issues.

Joyce shows that Renaud had his own set of unique issues to deal with as one of the few to play in front of his hometown crowd. As he writes, this brings its own set of challenges. "You get home-cooked meals, but that doesn't help with the unrelenting pressure of performing in front of those who know you," he writes. "Some struggle with it but Renaud thrived."

Joyce then uses some quotes from Spitfires' coach Bob Boughner to illustrate what an exceptional person and leader Renaud truly appears to have been, able to unify his fellow players and turn a group of individuals into a dynamic team.

"He was pulled in a lot of directions," Boughner said. "He had his friends on his team and his friends from his neighborhood. He had the kids he went to school with, too. As the captain, he tried to do things in the community -- if there was an event that a player had to attend, if someone had to get up and speak, it was Mickey. And he wanted to do that. If a player was traded to the team, he was the one who picked him at the station and drove him to his billets' house and introduced him to his teammates. Mickey looked for a way to lead."

That's a fantastic description for a 19-year old, particularly coming from a former NHLer of Boughner's reputation. No wonder the Calgary Flames wanted this guy. It's incredibly tragic that his life was cut so short, but he certainly made an impact on his team, his friends and his community, as the outpouring of support from those he touched demonstrates.

Joyce finishes off the story with a unique touch, an interview with Spitfires' centre Matthew Bragg, who was given the boots after the Spitfires' first game without their captain.

"It was Mickey who was in charge of the music and I used to get on him," Bragg said. "He used to play this awful rap or hip-hop or whatever. I'd get in there and try to sneak on some of my music. Some Irish stuff. Some Newfoundland music, like the band Great Big Sea. I might take over the music in the room from now on. Maybe that's what I can do."

The conclusion follows on from this perfectly, summing up the article neatly and again demonstrating the irreplacable void Renaud's left in the organization.

"At practices and before games there'll be music the rest of the season and maybe Bragg will put on Great Big Sea," Joyce writes. "But no one is going to replace Renaud, their captain -- someone will wear his boots but no one will put on the Spitfires' C."

A fitting conclusion to a great piece. Stylistic analysis can only take you so far, as great elements don't of their own always make for a solid whole. Joyce injects more than this, a cohesive soul to the piece that deeply moved this reader at least. There's heart in this story: it's not an abstract tale, but rather a strongly personal one that relates the true significance of Renaud. Joyce makes you realize the human tragedy here, and shows how this will forever affect everyone who coached, played with or was just friends with Renaud. It's moments like this that break the barriers between athletes and the rest of us, that force us to step back and see the person as a whole, not just their on-ice personality. The music has fallen silent for the moment, and even if Bragg puts on Great Big Sea, it will never again be an ordinary day for the Windsor Spitfires: on the deck their captain lies, fallen cold and dead.

When tragedy strikes

In Truro, NS, for a few days, which is why updates have been a bit sporadic (also, covering three different games Saturday didn't help, but more on that later). Saw something I felt compelled to talk about, though. The Windsor Star is reporting that 19-year old Windsor Spitfires' captain Mickey Renaud collapsed and died in his home today.

This is a huge tragedy for the Spitfires, the OHL, and Canadian hockey as a whole. It illustrates the here today, gone tomorrow nature of sporting potential and fame. One moment Renaud was a fifth-round pick of the Calgary Flames, captain of a respected junior team, and one of the team's best players with 21 goals and 41 points in 56 games: the next, his bright future inside or outside hockey is suddenly stripped away. The Romans perhaps summed it up best: sic transit gloria.

It's these events that break the "fourth wall" between athletes and regular people. There are far too many of them: one of the best cases is soccer, which has had four athletes die during games since last August: Sevilla's Antonio Puerta, Hapoel Beersheba's Chaswe Nsofwa, Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell and FC 105 Libreville's Guy Tchingoma, who died just nine days ago. Lately, there was also the Bathurst tragedy. Perhaps what this evokes more than anything is the Swift Current crash, one of the last big tragedies to strike major junior. The junior and high school disasters are especially poignant, as these teenagers had so much potential still unfulfilled. These events require us to step outside the sporting lens for a moment, and reflect on the loss to the wider human community.

Related: The Globe's Allan Maki has a good story up on the subject. I first found out about this via a Canadian Press brief on the Globe's website, which has since been taken down. Also, Neate has an interesting post , with a link to an Associated Press story after the New York Marathon tragedy this fall pondering if athletes' heart testing is sufficient.

Scribblings of the Scribes of Sport: Gare Joyce's Future Greats and Heartbreaks

Seeing as there are so many quality sports writers out there these days, and many of them are producing fine books, I figured I’d start occasional posts about the best works by sporting journalists I’ve read recently. To start it off, there’s Future Greats and Heartbreaks by Gare Joyce, which I received for Christmas and promptly read in the next couple days: it's very difficult to put down. The book provides a fantastic look at the profession of hockey scouts with a good deal of access from the inside, as Joyce was able to sit in on the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 2006 draft preparations and was involved with much of their subsequent scouting season. There are also interesting takes on a variety of other topics related to junior hockey, such as the tragic Swift Current Broncos bus crash of 1986, the world junior championships, and the players who never make it to the big leagues.

Another thing that helps this book excel is Joyce’s terrific writing talent. As established in his previous hockey book, When the Lights Went Out (a retrospective on the infamous Canada-USSR brawl at the 1987 World Juniors), the man knows how to tell a story. Despite the meandering path Joyce’s journeys in the footsteps of NHL scouts take him on, he is able to maintain a strong thematic continuity and spin a cohesive narrative out of what could have been a chaotic tale in the hands of a lesser writer.

The Columbus draft war room deliberations form a particularly interesting segment of the book, giving a great amount of insight into how NHL teams decide who to pick where. I found it especially surprising that so little credence is given to Central Scouting’s final rankings, which many in the media often speak of as indisputable. As Joyce points out, each team has their own list, and they frequently differ substantially from the consensus rankings. Joyce also makes a good point: in the end, it doesn’t matter if you got a player far below where you had him ranked if he doesn’t pan out.

Future Greats and Heartbreaks is a remarkable work. There’s far too little written about the scouting profession, which after all, is responsible for both the players who become stars and those who fail spectacularly. This book is a great addition to the realm of hockey literature, and exposes a side of the game many have never seen.

Related:
- Alanah has a great interview with Joyce from when the book first came out. Some fascinating stuff here, particularly on Steve Downie and Alexei Cherepanov.
- Joyce's own companion blog to the book. Interesting stuff here includes apiece he wrote on scouting for the Globe and Mail, a neat tale about what scouts get up to away from the rink, an introduction to the book's major characters, and an Edmonton Journal review of the book that touches on some of the other cool aspects and people I haven't mentioned, like Joyce's interview with Akim Aliu.
- Another review of the book by Joe Pelletier of hockeybookreviews.com, touching on some topics I hadn't thought of, such as if Columbus being the only organization that gave Joyce full access skewed his results in favour of their scouting model.