Things That Make Me Go Hmm...

• I will admit I watched little of Shaw's playoff coverage last season, but the series they covered between Swift Current and Calgary this post season caught my eye. I was impressed with the play of both teams, especially the pace in overtime of game three. How nice would it be to see every team in the WHL play with the same type of skill level and speed that Swift Current played with?
• I was especially pleased to see the Broncos force a game six back Swift Current. Why? Gate revenue. While the Broncos didn't have exactly a long playoff run, the extra gate revenue, thanks to home playoff dates, will help the bottom line of the community run hockey club.
• Back to Shaw's coverage. They did a great job of covering this series. I had to chuckle when Dan Russell and Bill Wilms were shown calling the play-by-play from one of those small cubical broadcast booths on the North end. Not only was it tight quarters, but the Shaw broadcast crew was given the worst booth, as the two were stationed at essentially the blue line. It didn't appear to bother the two of them, as Russell and Wilms did a great job of broadcasting a series where they are trying to preach the virtues of both teams. Now that the Broncos have been eliminated, I won't be watching as intently, but good on Shaw for broadcasting any of the four remaining teams in the chase for the WHL title.
• Brady Leavold is having success in his short stint with the Victoria Salmon Kings. Leavold not only scored two goals in three regular season games with the Salmon Kings, but earned his first pro playoff assist in a 4-3 win Saturday night over the Bakerfield Condors. Leavold earned the assist against former Rockets alumni Chris Di Ubaldo.
• Former Rockets teammates Josh Gorges and Chuck Kobasew were expected to meet in round one of the NHL playoffs as the Montreal Canadiens battled the Boston Bruins. But Kobasew isn't playing. Chucky is out 4 to 8 weeks after breaking his shin bone late in the season after he was struck by a puck from Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara. Kobasew had a great season with the Bruins scoring a career high 22 goals.
• Congrats to Rockets alumni Troy Bodie for being named the Springfield Falcons Community Service Award winner Saturday night. Bodie had 15 points in 61 AHL games this season with the Falcons, who's assistant coach is former Rockets bench boss Jeff Truitt.
• I thought it was interesting to see Blake Comeau back in the American Hockey League with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers after spending the majority of the season with the NHL's New York Islanders. Comeau joined the Pirates on April 4th, but even his heroics couldn't help the AHL team make the playoffs.
• Former Rocket Tyler Mosienko had a brief tryout with the Tigers this season. Mosienko played 7 games with the Islanders AHL affiliate, scoring 2 goals and adding an assist. Unfortunately the day that Comeau re-joined the Tigers, Mosienko was released from his player tryout a day later.
• Rob Vanstone has been busy. The Regina Leader-Post sports writer did a bang up job in a five part series on the WHL. You can find it on the Leader-Post website.
• I laughed when I saw the comments from Regina Pats GM Brent Parker over the talk of a new arena for Moose Jaw. "If they are too stupid to get a new rink built, the deserve what they get.", Parker told Rob Vanstone. I love it. We think it, but Parker isn't scared to say it. He may not win many fans over in Moose Jaw, but I can't help but admire the outspoken character.