Things that make me go hmmm....

• How can the Victoria Royals – the most penalized team in the WHL - have 38 more power play chances than the Kelowna Rockets? The Rockets are choir boys compared to their BC Division rivals.   
• What happens to WHL first overall pick Mathew Barzal? Will he sign with Seattle or will the T-Birds be forced to trade him? The reason he is on my mind is the 15 year-old and his midget team played against the Okanagan Rockets this past weekend. 
• Do you think the Edmonton Oil Kings have a better appreciation for the Western Conference? After losses to Spokane and Tri City, the Oil Kings still have to meet first place Portland before their U.S Division road trip comes to an end. 
• Didn’t we all anticipate the Tri City Americans to fall flat on their face after they lost starter Eric Comrie? Guess that didn’t happen. Proves they are not a one trick pony. 
• Is the WHL officiating improving as much as the play on the ice with the playoffs quickly approaching? Sadly, I don’t think it is. 
• When will the day come when a player punches an opponent on the ice, the victim doesn’t retaliate and the offender is the only one sent to the penalty box? 
• While everyone is bitching about the number of fans coming out to watch Kelowna Rockets home games this season, is their another team in the WHL that can boast 5 sell outs? 
• How can Portland’s Nic Petan go from 35 points last season to 106 points this season?  That is a 71 point improvement. Ok, I get it. He is getting increased ice time, power play time and is working with two solid line mates. Still, a 71 point improvement is crazy. 
• I encourage you to listen to Bob Stauffer of the Edmonton Oilers Radio Network. He is solid on the air. Tapped in, but honest and critical of the team he broadcasts games for. Honestly, it’s refreshing. 
• The Saskatoon Blades 15 game winning streak is impressive. But should we consider that the Blades have played Moose Jaw five times and Brandon three times over that stretch. Both the Warriors and Wheat Kings are non-playoff teams. 
• Remember the day when the WHL was considering the defensive league when compared to their OHL and QMJHL cousins?  Not anymore. The WHL has two 100 point producers.  The OHL and QMJHL don’t have any. 
• Kelowna Rockets forward Myles Bell has 84 points this season, 16 away from 100. The last Rockets forward to accomplish the feat was Colin Long in 2007-2008. Bell needs 1.8 points per game over the final 9 games to reach the 100 point plateau. 
• The Rockets have 44 wins this season, 7 shy of the team record of 51 set back in 2002-2003. The Rockets 44 wins is the 6^th most in franchise history. 
• The Rockets have to average 4.2 goals per game over the last 9 to reach the franchise record for goals scored in a season.  The record is 311 goals scored in 2002-2003.
• The Rockets have seven players with 15 or more goals. T
• The Rockets have a chance of claiming a BC Division title with three weeks left in the regular season. Would you have thought they’d be here at the start of the season? If you say yes, you are lying to yourself.