A Wake for Jax

 

Saying goodbye to my good friend, Jax the Lucky Dog, who left us at 1:10 a.m. Eastern on Sept. 20.

He was at my feet for every hockey game, that is, when he was not beside me on the couch trying to gain possession of some popcorn in the bowl. Jax was quite a forechecker in that regard. And he was great when I needed some consolation for a loss, an illness or a misjudgment. No questions from Jax, just support. 

I am fighting the urge to turn out the lights, close the curtains, turn up the air-conditioner, put Radiohead's "OK Computer" on endless play and just drink until the pain in my head matches the pain in my heart. But then Jax wouldn't be there to scoot up real close, nuzzle me and let me know that things might just be OK.

The old black dog has moved on, but he was there for me every time. I wish that I could say the same about me for him. But there's nothing I can do for him now except wish him a safe journey. Jax, hopefully we'll meet again sometime over a bowl of popcorn. 

I'll never forget you, Jax. You're the best. I love you.

The Dangers of Nationalism

A few years ago, it was perhaps Dmitri Filipovic of the Hockey PDOcast, Travis Yost of TSN or  Dom Luszczysyn, then of The Hockey News and now of The Athletic, who led the call for the NHL be more like the NBA.  (That's Dom Loose-CHIZ-in, for those of you who are interested in saying the name close to correctly.)

Sell the players, not the teams, as the attraction. To be a big time sport, perhaps not tucked entirely in the shadows of the NBA, MLB and NFL, the players needed to earn star billing. This whole regional concept -- endless rivalry matchups as the selling pitch on TV commercials -- were not getting it done, either for them or the league.

It was a disservice that was limiting the revenue of the league, and the earnings of players, who could not translate any standing in the league into cash earned through endorsements, etc.

Sounds logical. It may be more difficult with the NHL's larger team rosters and the fact that the stars in the league do not play as large a share of minutes per game as do the NBA's stars. But it is a smart marketing concern.

Well, forget all that. It's Canada all the time now. In the true north, at least in English-speaking Canada, it's give us the Canucks, Oilers, Flames, Jets, Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Senators and only them. To the lower 24, get lost. 

Perhaps this troubling noise began earlier, but I started to notice this drum being pounded last summer, right before the Stanley Cup bubble cities were determined. 

For a time, it looked like Las Vegas and another city in the United States would be selected because of health concerns by Canadian and provincial governments over travel across the border during the Covid-19 pandemic.

David Amber, a Sportsnet host on television and the Hockey Central radio show and podcast out of Toronto, was aghast that Canada might not play host to any games last summer. Stunned how could this be? Never mind that no fans were being included and that there would be a full plate of games being shown each day.

OK, so I may not mind the proprietary nature of such feelings, but this was the start of something bigger, at least to me. Next was Amber's inability to consider how, should the bubble cities both NOT BE IN TORONTO, how could this work?

He could not see that games played in the morning in Las Vegas, or Vancouver or Edmonton, would be in the proper window for viewing in Toronto. The "but it's not in Toronto" whine was coming through loud and clear.

Eventually, and for myriad responsible reasons, the games were played in Edmonton and Toronto, with the final two rounds in Edmonton. Somehow -- it's a miracle, really -- viewers in Toronto were able to find a way to watch the games. 

Now, with the start of the 2021 season, the drum beats for the North Division, or more important to the rights holders of broadcasts in Canada, the All-Canada Division, the Canadian Division or Canada. Whatever the term, nationalism has consumed Rogers Sportsnet (it has regional English-language contracts with the Canucks, Oilers, Flames and Maple Leafs as well as the national Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday night packages) and TSN (Jets, Senators and Canadiens English-language regional contracts as well as a share of the regional Maple Leafs rights). 

Rogers' radio shows and podcasts have asked the same question each day: Can this Canadian-division format be incorporated into the regular schedule beyond this season? Why wouldn't you want it? Who doesn't want it? You get the drill. It's sounds much like my kids, when they were younger, asking why they couldn't have ice cream every day, why shouldn't they, who doesn't want them to? 

Chris Johnston, a voice of reason and an insider for Sportsnet, was on the Leafs Hour show with Ben Ennis and JD Bunkis, who asked for the 4,000th time why this Canada division could not be maintained next season and beyond. (The day prior, they asked the same thing of NHLPA executive Donald Fehr, who gave them neither a real window of hope nor a bitter pill of dismissal.)

Johnston told the hosts that the downside of this format would be that stars like Nathan MacKinnon would not garner much attention up north, what with the Colorado Avalanche not crossing the border this regular season. Bunkis said that he didn't care about this, about the Dallas Stars or any other team not above the U.S.-Canada border. 

So keep this in mind as we go forward. We will be hearing this noise for some time, and much like the lazy fans in the New York area who would rather see 900 games between the Rangers, Devils and Islanders than play teams in the West, North or South, there is a certain not-so-fine whine being produced. 

I'll still serve them in the Lounge, and games from the North Division will be viewed (I am watching one right now), but perhaps they may be told to lower their voices slightly -- I am trying to be polite yet stern -- and to pay in "real money."*

*Quotation is from my good friend Steve, the former Anti-Puck who is now in Florida but still on the Ducks bandwagon.

Pour Me One for the New Season

 Yes, in almost one hour, the NHL returns for the 2021 dash for the Stanley Cup.

I'm not sure who is excited more? Could it be me, or Mrs. Stereo Lounge, who has had to endure me staring at the calendar ever since the end of the 2020 Cup final?

Probably her, as I have been a real pain without hockey. But no more. The Lounge will have all three games from NBCSN tonight. Tomorrow morning, the two games from Canada will be on replay behind the bar. 

The Lounge will be paying particular attention to the Los Angeles Kings, as per usual, but will have keen interest on the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche in the West Division. In the North, the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames are my picks to click. Added bonus, the Habs en francais on select nights. Love the cry of "lance... a BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT!" from the booth at TVA's Le Super Soiree.

In the Central, you need to stretch the regional concept to focus on the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning. And in the East, I have the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins on the nightly watch list.

My Bud Light red light has fresh batteries, the snacks are being prepared now and Mrs. Stereo Lounge is actually happy for me. Drop the puck.

Updated Start Dates for 20/21 Season

The USHL has announced that it is planning to open the regular season on Nov. 6. The USHL was the last of the for major junior leagues in North America to give a target starting date.

The QMJHL is looking to open the season on Oct. 1, while the OHL has marked Dec. 1 on its calendar and the WHL has Dec. 4 as its starting date. Both the AHL and the ECHL plan to begin on Dec. 4 as well.

In Europe, the KHL has Sept. 2 as its opening date, and it has already made some adjustments for the pandemic. The Beijing-based HC Kunlun Red Star has moved into a rink in the Moscow area for this season. Late last winter, the team completed the regular season in Russian rinks rather than stay in China.

Daytime Hockey Served Here

Veteran patrons of the Lounge, and those who are familiar with the proprietor, know how much I hate summer. Nothing to do but endure the heat until the cool breezes of September and October return. But this year, there has been one positive development in a year of calamity.

Summer hockey is here. I still cannot believe that the Stanley Cup tournament is on. I hope it can play out to the end without Covid-related incidents (knock on wood).

With that, the taps have been cleaned and are back on. To-go hard Arnold Palmers are ready, as are to-go frozen Long Island iced teas. By the way, if you are in Manhattan, the Beach Cafe has a frozen LI iced tea that will clear you for take off halfway down the glass. The to-go window is open at 1326 Second Avenue.

Still walking around the Upper East Side looking for frozen drinks? Head to La Esquina (aka the Corner) at 1402 Second Avenue and order a liter bucket margarita. The menu says it is the equivalent of three drinks. Who cares? Just order one for you and get another for your friend across the table on the sidewalk. Add a few tacos, turn the NHL.tv or Sling.tv apps on your phone and watch a game as well. A full-meal deal.

Here in the Lounge, we are making do with fresh coffee and breakfast burritos until after 3 pm, when the hard stuff comes out to play, giving patrons a chance to get a good flow going before the Hurricanes face the Bruins at 4 Eastern.

And if there are no games on? Well the Lounge (top) has that covered as well. The teams on the Stiga rink at the moment are the Kings and the Zero-Time Stanley Cup Champion Canucks. Others available are the Penguins, Maple Leafs and Red Wings. Or you can bring your open. Either way, the game is on here in the Lounge. More later.

Best Night of the Year

O.K., perhaps the headline is overselling it a bit, but not much.

We have, starting at 7 pm Eastern, the Showtime special "All Access: Quest for the Stanley Cup." The Lounge will have that stream via the Showtime app on the Roku stick.

At the same time, I will have a screen in the Lounge dedicated to the opening night of the Memorial Cup, the championship tournament for major junior hockey. Tonight's game features the host team, the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League against the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Windsor was knocked out in the first round of the OHL playoffs, but are in this four-team tournament because, well, they are giving the party.

The tournament runs through May 28. The other two teams in the tournament are the Seattle Thunderbirds, champions of the Western Hockey League, and the Erie Otters, champions of the Ontario Hockey League. You have to love it, two U.S.-based teams in the hunt for the championship of the Canadian Hockey League, the umbrella organization for the QMJHL, OHL and WHL. The last time two U.S.-based teams reached this event was in 2007, when the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL and the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL advanced to Vancouver.

The teams are loaded top prospects who have been drafted and more who will expect to hear their names called at the NHL Entry Draft next month. Most of these games can be seen on the NHL Network in the United States, though I am not certain of the exact schedule, as the games could run long and conflict with the "NHL Tonight" shows that go with the Stanley Cup. In short, check the listings for live coverage and replays of the games. (In Canada, all games are on Sportsnet.) And all games will be streamed live via the web because the Lounge has paid the $26 subscription fee to see all the tournament games.

At 8, the Lounge have Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final between the Penguins and Senators via the SlingTV app on the Roku stick, though I am always tempted to wait until the game is over to stream the Hockey Night in Canada feed through the NHL.tv app on the Roku stick or iPhone. We stream sports, movies and music in the Lounge, or we don't watch.

The eyes are in for a beating tonight, but when I finally close them, I'll be smiling.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Finally Begin

Opening night of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Lounge is better than Christmas morning or my birthday.

Nothing like hearing the roar of the crowd in Montreal to start the spring and summer tournament. That said, Tanner Glass helped suck the life out of the Bell Centre as the Rangers came away with a 2-0 victory, but those are minor points for me. My Los Angeles Kings are doing the walk of shame to the golf course after missing the tournament.

This time is for the winners, and the Rangers played like one tonight, surviving an early surge by the Canadiens before forcing the Habs to play on the fringes of the rink. Montreal's shots proved less effective from that range, and on this night, fans there will have to wash down those smoked meat sandwiches with flat beer and salty tears.

To the west, Ottawa was done in by a Brad Marchand shot that gave the Bruins a 2-1 victory. Canada, which had no teams in the tournament last season, fell to 0-2 on this night, with the Edmonton Oilers still to play as I write.

And as I write, Sidney Crosby and Connor Sheary make mistakes and Matt Calvert gets Columbus back in the game with a goal late in the third period. But I still feel the Penguins will hold on to take Game 1 at home.

Now I have to refill my snack bowl and prepare for the late game here in the Lounge. Opening night. Consider it a holiday.