The Hockey Show - Episode 690

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back tonight with an emptier studio as just our hosts will descend upon the UMFM offices for the show. There will be some good hockey talk as they have a pile of stuff to go over from the last four weeks of shows where guests appeared, so it will be more of a rapid fire show tonight as our hosts try to get everyone caught up on all the news locally, nationally, and internationally that may have been missed! It will feel like a sprint for 60 minutes, so make sure you're ready tonight for The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason are gonna move like Steve Rogers as we cover as many stories as we can. We'll take care to have meaningful discussions, but lingering chatter may not be an option tonight. Among the many topics tonight will be Teebz's visit to the Team Manitoba Sledge Hockey practice, Ryan Kesler's legal troubles, the St. Louis Blues signing an alleged predator, Carla MacLeod being in the biggest fight of her life, a special goal scored in Indianapolis at the end of November, the Olympics have an apparent arena problem, the IIHF imposes an Olympic-sized rule, and much more as we go through as many important and relevant hockey stories that need further discussion. It's going to be a fast-paced show with some hard discussions once again tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!

If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The UMFM website's streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store.

If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard! And because both Teebz and Jason are on the butterfly app where things are less noisy, you can find Teebz here and Jason here on Bluesky!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat about fun on sleds, morally-corrupt individuals, cheering on Carla, a big moment in Indy, smaller-than-planned arenas, new rules, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

This Sport Is A Complete Joke

In no way am I as talented as Richard Riehle in any way, shape, or form due to his portrayal of character Tom Smykowski in the 1999 film Office Space, but I feel like Tom Smykowski right now, though, as I read through the news reports that Dillon Dube, recently acquitted of sexual assault, has signed a PTO contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds under the direction of the St. Louis Blues. Let's drop the facade of the NHL having any moral standing of any kind because the Blues are the latest team to abandon any moral virtue in exchange for a another player of mediocre talent on their depth chart.

With Dube signing the deal today, all five men who were accused of sexual assault and gave testimony that they were involved in the questionable activities in the hotel room in London in 2018 now have professional hockey jobs once again. Two of the players are playing in Europe while three are playing under the watch of NHL teams, so spare me with your holier-than-thou rhetoric about how these men's lives will be affected by the allegations. None of them "suffered".

The image to the right shows the statement that the Blues put out today about the signing of Dube, and let me drop the most obvious comment I can make: if you need to publicly justify signing a player, you're already on the wrong side of history. No one is debating whether they were acquitted of the crimes they were alleged to have committed, but the testimonies given inside the London, Ontario courtroom and the information that has been released since the conclusion of the trial, specifically in Rick Westhead's book We Breed Lions, now has me seriously questioning why I follow this sport. Today's signing furthers that.

As stated multiple times on this blog, an acquittal does not mean not guilty. It is the accurate term of describing the failure of the prosecution to remove all shadow of a doubt that a crime had been committed. In no way does it prove innocence. Again, the testimonies given inside the London courtroom and the information that has been released since the trial ended make it very clear that up to ten men were in a hotel room with one intoxicated woman, and the five accused men all participated in sexual acts with the victim whose consent to allow those acts still seems very much in doubt.

One week ago, it was the AHL's Chicago Wolves who were trying to put out a fire after the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes signed Cal Foote to a deal and assigned him to the Wolves. Wolves' general manager Wendell Young was quick to tell Front Office Sports that the decision to sign Foote was not a Chicago Wolves decision, but they have to live with those consequences now. For those who may not be aware, the relationship between the Wolves and Hurricanes is frosty at the best of times, but Young went into full deflection mode when it came to the heat this signing was going to bring and we already know that the Hurricanes were kicking tires on two of the other acquitted players.

The Vegas Golden Knights put out a statement when they signed one of the acquitted players as well, including the line, "We remain committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its inception and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards moving forward". I'd like to see what those core values include because if the text messages between the players that Rick Westhead included in We Breed Lions are true (and there's zero evidence to suggest they are false), the Golden Knights' core values seem to ignore abhorrent behaviour prior to joining the team.

Three teams put out statements about three players who have yet to acknowledge their roles in the alleged sexual assaults and have, to date, not shown any effort or attempt to be better educated and better informed about how their actions have long-lasting effects on victims. The Blues, with Dube on their payroll, now employ an alleged rapist, a player who shares private images of others without their consent (Mailloux), and, two weeks ago, had an alleged domestic abuser whose partner dropped the charges before any trial could be had(Lucic). Two of those players, prior to landing with the Blues, have acknowledged the harms they have caused and have invested their time into being better people which continues today.

Not one of the players who were involved in the alleged 2018 sexual assault have acknowledged that they caused harm, not one of them has sought more information and education, and none of the teams that have signed the players have forced them to seek that help or made it a condition of their contractual employment. In saying that, my question to those teams, players, and general managers is simple:

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!

I can hear some of you saying, "But, Teebz, what about second chances?" which would be valid argument to make if any of these five men had earned a second chance by putting in the work to be better people. Until that happens, you don't qualify for a second chance just because the prosecution in London failed in its argument. As I've made clear, the testimonies and the evidence in that trial that was both allowed and disallowed for legal reasons showed that these five men were in the hotel room, committed acts to which the victim doesn't remember consenting nor acknowledges she would consent, and walked away because the prosecution failed in proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. They did no work. They earned nothing.

Let me take that last point and make it clearer: the prosecution failing to do its job does not exonerate these five men, it does not make them innocent, nor does it give them a free pass to continue life as if this was some minor inconvenience. These men showed a distinct lack of leadership and empathy, a wide variety of poor decision-making skills, an effort to cover up their actions and silence the victim, and did nothing when it came to accountability outside of blaming the victim and did nothing to educate themselves about how their actions have far-reaching effects. Do all of those combinbed actions warrant a second chance at playing NHL hockey? If you're nodding yes, you're officially part of the problem. End of story.

These teams, this game, and society as a whole does not get better with these men in it if they're not willing to accept accountability and learn about how they can be better people. This isn't about hockey, but about breaking the culture that hockey instills into these young men where it removes accountability and imposes false confidences because they're constantly being told they're untouchable. Hockey is just a background detail when it comes to ensuring these men are becoming better people. You don't get second chances if you haven't shown you changed. That's how life works.

But not in the NHL where morals and being good corporate citizens means nothing. Winning is everything and winning drives profits, so morality and being good community partners flies right out the window. Men with the weakest of moral integrity are welcomed with open arms and celebrated as though they're some sort of saviour for franchises who are willing to sacrifice decency for a potential win.

And don't come at me with accusations that I sit on some pedestal while raining moral judgments down on everyone else. I'm just as flawed and broken as anyone else, but I and the people around me hold me accountable when it comes to making decisions that affect others because society teaches us and requires us to have that ability. If I do something wrong, I don't cover it up and try to silence people who were affected. I have been taught and the lesson has been learned that accountability and bettering one's self means more to society in today's day and age than the original moral outrage. Doing that work is how second chances are earned and given.

But not in the NHL where second chances are given if you can prove you have an above-average slapshot or can do a butterfly in the crease. You don't even have to feel remorse that a woman's life was completely altered by your actions or your friends' actions while you stood there and watched and cheered them on. All you need to do is prove that you can score a few goals, save a few pucks, and help a team win hockey games, and someone - maybe Kelly McCrimmon or Doug Armstrong or Eric Tulsky - will give you a second chance without questioning any moral repugnance you may have shown.

This sport is a complete joke, and I'm really starting to tire of it.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Far Away From Ten

The announcement was made on November 26, but I've been holding off on saying anything simply due to there being a lack of details on what's going to happen and when it will happen. However, the news is true: Simon Fraser University is rejoining U SPORTS and Canada West after spending the last fifteen years competing in the Division II level of the NCAA. There's a lot to be excited about when it comes to this news as the school will now review its options while reorganizing its athletics department to be better positioned for U SPORTS competition, but this site focuses on hockey-related matters so we need to dig into SFU's hockey programs to get a better sense of how this expansion will affect the Canada West conference.

The first thing to note is there is neither a men's nor women's hockey team currently supported by the Simon Fraser University Athletics Department. They do have both non-conference and BCIHL men's teams that compete, and it seems they operate independently outside of both U SPORTS and the NCAA. Don't let their non-affiliation with any league fool you - this Red Leafs men's team is pretty good.

The non-conference team does play against a number of NCAA teams throughout the season, and they currently sit with a 4-7-2 record this season with a shootout win and a shootout loss against UBC and a loss to Trinity Western. All those games were decided by a single goal, so it seems they can hang with two Canada West teams including the top-ranked team in the nation. We'll see if that continues.

In September, head coach Mark Coletta told sponsors and supporters, "We have a chance to have men's and women's hockey at the [NCAA] level. That's the goal, that's the vision. We need to make things bigger and better."

Coletta's not going to get that opportunity with SFU's decision at the end of November, but he certainly can't be ignorant of the marked improvement of the teams just down the highway from him. If he thinks that the Red Leafs had a chance in the NCAA to win a National Championship, the same result can be won in Canada. I can't say that all of the players currently on his roster will remain as part of the team, but the truth is that the conference gets immediately stronger if the Red Leafs can compete with both UBC and Trinity Western.

Here's the catch - there's no guarantee that men's hockey is added as a varsity sport at Simon Fraser University. The university's statement on the transition back to Canada West explicitly stated, "The university has no intention of adding additional varsity sports," meaning that men's and women's hockey aren't even on the radar at this point. In short, the immediate impact on Canada West men's and women's hockey is zero as neither conference will add a tenth team.

It should be noted, however, that SFU Provost and Vice-President Academic Dilson Rassier, who oversees the athletics and recreation deparrtment at SFU, told Postmedia in January, "We'll evaluate each specific case. If there is a way to have hockey — or any other sport — that is financially sustainable, self-sustaining and with new incomes for the university, we will consider it."

Before we jump down that rabbit hole, let's put all the cards on the table. Rassier said they'll evaluate each case moving forward based on financial requirements, and we know hockey is one of the most expensive sports for any Canada West school. Hockey, as he made clear, has to be financially sustainable for the university to even consider adding the sport to its varsity sports roster, so we might be years away from having hockey apply for varsity status based on how Red Leafs hockey moves forward at this point.

Secondly, if they add a men's team, they'll need to add a women's team unless they plan on offsetting the women's team with another men's sport. With the growth of women's hockey and the success of both Canada West teams in BC along with that new PWHL entity they have out in Vancouver, excluding women's hockey would be the most short-sighted thing SFU could do. As it stands right now, there is no Red Leafs women's team in existence, so they'd have to get that program off the ground in short order while being financially sustainable as well. There are infinite challenges in that plan.

With Simon Fraser University already facing a cash crunch like most other universities across the country, it doesn't appear that a men's or women's hockey team will be ready to play in Canada West as an SFU varsity sport in the near future. We already know that Canada West went to a divisional format as a cost-cutting measure for some schools, but the nine schools playing hockey aren't seeing massive savings in that plan. Adding a school who is already financially stretched thin to a conference that requires the most travel resulting in the highest costs for hockey programs might just be a non-starter.

I'm not saying that we'll never see the Red Leafs find their way into Canada West hockey. There were times where no one would have guessed Mount Royal University or Grant MacEwan University would be part of the conference, and there were likely many who never believed that Lethbridge nor Brandon would ever leave. Obviously, things can, have, and will continue to change in Canada West hockey as time marches forward, but the foreseeable future does not have Simon Fraser University involved simply due to the fact that they don't have varsity hockey teams nor has plans to add them.

While having ten-team hockey conferences in Canada West would be ideal - three BC teams out west, three teams in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and Alberta's four teams splitting the difference - the reality is that we're as far away from ten teams as we were before SFU made the decision to rejoin Canada West and U SPORTS. We may eventually get there one day, but having SFU back in the Canada West conference does nothing for the hockey picture as it stands.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

That Was Quick

I originally wrote the title of Saturday's article about Steve Oleksy as a joke because I couldn't see any way that Oleksy was trying to come back to hockey after walking away in 2023. As you can see to the left, that comeback ended two days and two games after signing a deal with the Icemen as Jacksonville released Oleksy on Sunday before heading to Atlanta for the third game in three days against the Gladiators. And with that, it's back to family life for Steve, it seems.

After Jacksonville got thumped on Friday in a game where Oleksy recorded a high-sticking minor penalty, he was back on the ice Saturday as the Icemen recorded a 4-3 win over Atlanta. Oleksy did nothing of note in the game despite skating as a forward, and he was the only player on the Jacksonville roster not to record a shot. I'm not here to say that the game may be faster than the 39 year-old Oleksy can handle, but he may have been out of his element.

I'll give Oleksy some credit, though, because I'm not sure there are many guys in their late-thirties who can jump into professional hockey after spending three years off the ice. This is the same issue that the Winnipeg Jets are seeing with their reclamation project in Jonathan Toews, and it's not going well by all measures. Full marks to Steve Oleksy for giving it one last shot, though, but being released yesterday should spell the end of his professional hockey career.

As I wrote on Saturday, Oleksy should settle back into family life with his wife, Brooke, and their twins who are coming up on their first birthdays. That's a big moment for all parents, and Steve Oleksy can be there for the occasion as opposed to being on a bus somewhere, heading for the next ECHL city and another night of eating cheap pizza after skating hard for fifteen minutes. Oleksy played 73 games in the show with three teams - he has nothing left to prove.

He can now work on being the best husband and dad he can possibly be, and I would imagine that will bring him far more satisfaction and riches than one last season in the ECHL at age 39 ever will.

When it comes to the Icemen, Steve Oleksy was there for a good time, not a long time. Getting released yesterday means he can go home and rejoing the team that needs him the most: his family!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Rundown - Week 10

Officially, we're ten weeks into the season and all nine teams are going on break for the next month as players, coaches, and staff get set for exams, holidays, and travel as many players will be returning to their homes once exams are completed. This week will also see each team officially cross the halfway wark of the season with six teams having played 18 games and three teams sitting at 16 games played. That means every game on the new calendar is that much more important for playoff positioning. Only the Calgary Dinos started their break early as they had the bye leading into December, so let's check out who did what this week on The Rundown!

FRIDAY: We'll start on the west coast where the two BC teams met in a matinee affair in Langley. The UBC Thunderbirds were aiming to wrap up a playoff spot before flipping the calendar to 2026 while the Trinity Western Spartans were looking to close out their 2025 home schedule with a win over their provincial rivals. There was also a chance for more history on the UBC side, and I'll discuss that below!

Thunderbirds goals: Grace Elliott (16), Hanna Perrier (2), Grace Elliott (17)
Thunderbirds assists: Meadow Carman (2), Vanessa Schaefer (8), Annalise Wong (16), Annalise Wong (17), Jaylyn Morris (9)
Thunderbirds netminder: Elise Hugens (14/16)

Spartans goals: Charlotte Swanton (1), Olivia Leier (1)
Spartans assists: Sadie Isfeld (6), Kyra McDonald (7), Casey Ditner (6)
Spartans netminders: Kate Fawcett (30/33)

Result: 3-2 victory for UBC over Trinity Western.

SATURDAY: Historical moments aside, the fact that UBC clinched a playoff spot already is one of the reasons this divisional format is all kinds of ridiculous. I'm not saying they didn't earn it, but the fact that they played just over half a season and can rest players for the second half of the season if needed is why this divisional mess doesn't work. Nonetheless, good on UBC for taking care of business, but the Spartans were heading to UBC ice to take care of their own business. Which side would enter the break on a winning note?

Spartans goals: none
Spartans assists: none
Spartans netminders: Olivia Davidson (24/27)

Thunderbirds goals: Grace Elliott (17), Hanna Perrier (3), Vanessa Schaefer (5)
Thunderbirds assists: Annalise Wong (18), Audrey Church (2), Jacquelyn Fleming (5), Meadow Carman (3), Grace Elliott (7), Mia Bierd (3)
Thunderbirds netminder: Mya Lucifora (14/14)

Result: 3-0 victory for UBC over Trinity Western.

FRIDAY: We jump to the next interprovincial matchup as the U Prairie Challenge had another chapter added to its history. The Regina Cougars headed north to Saskatoon where the Saskatchewan Huskies waited, and these two squads were wanting to take points off one another to grab a better hold on a playoff spot while pushing their opponents further down the standings in the East Division!

Cougars goals: none
Cougars assists: none
Cougars netminder: Natalie Williamson (27/30)

Huskies goals: Shelby Williamson (2), Kaysah Nurani (2), Kahlen Wisener (4)
Huskies assists: McKenna Bolger (6), Avery Gottselig (3), Paris Oleksyn (3), Kara Mitenko (1), Peppi Virtanen (3), Bronwyn Boucher (3)
Huskies netminders: Clara Juca (20/20)

Result: 3-0 victory for Saskatchewan over Regina.

SATURDAY: The flatland Cats came home after a night where they could not solve the Huskies' defence, so they needed a bigger effort on home ice. The Dogs were looking for another solid performance from their squad as the Huskies looked to close out 2025 with a sweep and put some space between themselves and the Cougars. Game Four of the annual U Prairie Challenge went on Saturday night!

Huskies goals: Paris Oleksyn (2)
Huskies assists: Bronwyn Boucher (4), Jacquelyne Chief (4)
Huskies netminders: Colby Wilson (32/32)

Cougars goals: none
Cougars assists: none
Cougars netminder: Amy Swayze (29/30)

Result: 1-0 victory for Saskatchewan over Regina.

FRIDAY: The third interprovincial set of games this weekend was actually an all-Edmonton affair with the MacEwan Griffins making their way to Clare Drake Arena for Friday's game with the Alberta Pandas. The Pandas had a chance to close out 2025 in second-place in the West Division if they played well and got some help while the Griffins were looking to continue their improved play from the last few weeks to put pressure on the teams above them. Both teams wanted points, but would they find them?

Griffins goals: Kali MacDonald (1)
Griffins assists: Jordan Brown (2), Rian Santos (1)
Griffins netminder: Lindsey Johnson (32/35)

Pandas goals: Natalie Kieser (4), Hailey Carothers (3), Riley Smith (1)
Pandas assists: Sara Kazeil (1), Riley Smith (2), Jadynn Morden (4), Riley Smith (3), Abby Soyko (7), Annie King (2)
Pandas netminder: Mackenzie Dojahn (17/18)

Result: 3-1 victory for Alberta over MacEwan.

SATURDAY: The loss on Friday put the Griffins ten points back of the Pandas with ten games to go, so they needed to start winning games if they hoped to make a run at the playoffs. The Pandas were looking to close out 2025 on a high note with a sweep and second-place in the West Division while putting more pressure on MacEwan. Who was going to go home happy from downtown Edmonton?

Pandas goals: Kate Williams (1)
Pandas assists: Kelly Stanford (2), Ryann Perrett (3)
Pandas shootout scorers: Hailey Carothers
Pandas netminder: Grace Glover (14/15) in 65:00 plus 2/4 in the shootout

Griffins goals: Sydney Jack (3)
Griffins assists: none
Griffins shootout scorers: Marley Howes, Allee Isley
Griffins netminder: Taya Currie (27/28) in 65:00 plus 3/4 in the shootout

Result: 2-1 shootout victory for MacEwan over Alberta.

FRIDAY: It wasn't an interprovincial matchup in the fourth series of the weekend, but it may have felt like one with all the Manitobans on the Mount Royal roster while Manitoba has both Jordan Colliton and Lyndsey Janes behind their bench who were with the Cougars last season. These two teams book-end the East Division, so the Bisons were looking to send the mountain Cats home with their tails between their legs while the Cougars were looking to take a bite out of the Bisons and extend their lead over the rest of the division.

Cougars goals: Jerzey Watteyne (6)
Cougars assists: none
Cougars netminder: Scout Anderson (24/26)

Bisons goals: Julia Bird (5), Jessie Haner (1)
Bisons assists: Sara Harbus (3)
Bisons netminder: Emily Shippam (20/21)

Result: 2-1 victory for Manitoba over Mount Royal.

SATURDAY: After winning their first game this season against a Calgary-based team on Friday night, the Bisons were looking to close out the 2025 calendar with a sweep as they could potentially move out of the East Division basement. The Mount Royal Cougars, though, rarely lose back-to-back games, so a strong finish to their 2025 was going to be needed to bring home the split adn two more points. Who would earn the win and go into the break on a festive note?

Cougars goals: Isa McPhee (1), Jerzey Watteyne (7), Ava Metzger (2), Jori Hansen-Young (1)
Cougars assists: Summer Fomradas (6), Sydney Benko (7), Julia Duke (3)
Cougars netminder: Katherine Holan (26/28)

Bisons goals: Norah Collins (3), Sadie Keller (2)
Bisons assists: Julia Bird (2), Alyssa Rasmuson (4), Claire Moorman (2)
Bisons netminder: Emily Shippam (21/24)

Result: 4-2 victory for Mount Royal over Manitoba.

Don't even ask about divisions. I'm not interested in that setup. It's one conference, nine teams, and we'll see who is best in the west.

CANADA WEST WOMEN'S HOCKEY

School	Record	Points	GF	GA	Streak	Next
UBC	16-1-1-0	34	55	15	W4	JANUARY
Mount Royal	9-3-5-1	29	44	25	W1	JANUARY
Calgary	10-4-1-3	25	39	27	L2	JANUARY
Alberta	7-6-0-5	19	37	42	L1	JANUARY
Saskatchewan	5-6-3-2	18	25	31	W2	JANUARY
Trinity Western	3-9-5-1	17	38	39	L5	JANUARY
Regina	3-8-2-3	13	22	35	L6	JANUARY
Manitoba	2-8-2-4	12	26	44	L1	JANUARY
MacEwan	2-12-2-2	10	16	44	W1	JANUARY

Honour Roll

Each week on The Rundown, I highlight the best performances from the weekend's games. It won't always be the top scorer or the best goalie, but I'll have a reason for who gets picked each week. This week's player was one half of the wall put up in Saskatchewan, but her work this season has been sensational including this weekend where she picked up another clean sheet. This week's Honour Roll candidate is Saskatchewan Huskies goaltender Clara Juca!

Having three capable goalies who are ready to roll at any time always means that ice time is less than what everyone wants. Clara has appeared in six games this season, so her time has been limited when it comes to standing in the crease. That being said, she's making the most of those opportunities when she's between the pipes as she has a 3-1-1 record with a pair of shutouts. To date, she's allowed just seven goals on 142 shots for a .951 save percentage, her only loss came against UBC where she stopped 39 of 40 shots, and she's shutout each of the Cougars teams. That's a solid campaign!

Some will say, "Saskatchewan is a defence-first team, though" to which I say "1.30 GAA and a .951 save percentage in 322 minutes of action". In none of her four starts prior to this weekend did she face less than 25 shots, and she stopped all 20 that Regina threw at this weekend. Saskatchewan does play a defence-first system, but they still need good goaltending to win games. Clara Juca has provided that by backstopping the Huskies to seven of ten points in her starts. That includes helping the Huskies open a five-point gap on Regina for the final playoff spot in the East Division this weekend, and that's how Saskatchewan Huskies netminder Clara Juca made the list!

Yet Another Honour

UBC's Grace Elliott continues her assault on the UBC record books as she blew past both Tatiana Rafter and Chanreet Bassi for first-overall in career points in UBC program history. In fact, she's now at a 120 points and counting after scoring three goals and an assist this weekend. She also blew past a former Regina Cougars forward-turned-head-coach in Brandy West-McMaster who had 117 career points in Canada West as she's now climbing past other stars!

Grace now sits alone in 11th-place all-time in Canada West, three points back of former Bisons forward Addie Miles, and five points back of former Pandas teammates Autumn MacDougall and Alex Poznikoff. At this point, it's not a matter of "if", but "when".

UBC starts January in Calgary against Mount Royal before hosting the Calgary Dinos at UBC, so her current pace should see her pass those three players by the end of the fourth game if everything stays the same. Will it? We'll find out, but Grace will be a top-ten scorer in Canada West history before all is said and done. That's a guarantee.

Congratulations again to Grace Elliott, the top scorer in UBC history!

We're Not Done Yet

For those who have been keeping score at home, the last four UBC games have all featured something that no one has seemed to notice. In each of those games, Grace Elliott has scored the game-winning goal, pushing her total this season to ten game-winners. That's a ridiculous number when you consider UBC has played 18 games, but what's even more impressive is that Grace started the season with 13 game-winners to her name. That's how good she's been!

Why is that important? According to the Canada West record book, Grace Elliott is now the most clutch scorer when the game is on the line as she passed Hayley Wickenheiser's total of 20 game-winners a week ago against Saskatchewan when she scored the lone goal of the game in a 1-0 road win. Adding two more goals made it harder for everyone chasing her, and she still has time to add more!

Let's fire up the congratulations machine again as Grace Elliott is your new Canada West game-winning goal record holder!

You're Still Talking About Her

I am because Grace Elliott is also tied with former Manitoba Bisons forward Meghan Ross with 20 career power-play goals, and she's one back of former Bisons forward Tammy Brade, former Huskies forward Danny Stone, and former Pandas forward Autumn MacDougall. She's also five back of UBC's record holder Tatiana Rafter who finished her career with 25 power-play goals and sits in second-place in Canada West history. Again, we're on the verge of witnessing history!

Elliott also has two shorthanded goals this season, pushing her career total to three. That has her one back of the UBC program record held by Mackenzie Kordic and she currently sits tied in UBC history with former Thunderbirds forward Kaitlin Imai. This is another record that could fall before the season closes. Based on all her stats, I don't think it's a stretch at this point to say she might be the best offensive player in UBC history without any exaggeration or debate.

It's All Made Up

Before the U SPORTS National Rankings graphic comes out on Tuesday, I want to remind everyone that the rankings are meaningless. Last year, the third-ranked team at Nationals beat the eighth-ranked team for the National Championship, the top seed lost in the opening round, and the second-seeded team won the bronze medal over the fifth-seeded 2023 National Champions. The rankings did not matter when it came to who was best prepared for their opponents.

Feel free to celebrate if you made the list, but, with no conferences ever having teams meet regularly throughout the season, the algorithm that builds the Elo ranking system is flawed. Last year's seedings at Nationals thanks to the upsets we saw in the conference playoffs blew up the Elo model entirely. The only thing that was predictable was that everything was unpredictable. And it was.

This is your reminder: the rankings are meaningless. Always.

The Last Word

It's time for the "student" part of student-athlete to shine for all of the athletes playing in Canada West and across Canada as conferences shut down for exams and the holidays. I implore all student-athletes to study hard, seek help for things one doesn't understand fully, and be ready when exam day arrives. Like hockey games, those who do the work before the game starts often will find success.

The Rundown will be back next week with the first-half All-Star selections, and I want to be clear that my selections are based on my limited capacity for viewing games plus any and all statistical analysis I have. Six forwards, four defenders, and two goaltenders from each division will make up the teams with every team having at least one player on the rosters with one rookie from each conference.

By no means should anyone take my selections as anything more than my own opinion which is worth the same amount as the subscription to this blog. In short, they're like U SPORTS rankings: meaningless!

Enjoy the break, study hard, and we'll see you next week!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!