Smoke's Rant: Really Racist Teams

Now, I have been pissed off a lot with sports politics and general antics that come with some professional sports ie crime in the NFL, crime in the NBA, corruption in soccer, and the white hot lights beaming on Connor McDavid despite not playing an NHL game yet (too much pressure for a young guy); but one issue that has pissed me off for a while is the racist names for some sports teams. I am looking straight at you Washington and Cleveland.

U.S district judge Gerald Bruce Lee decided to uphold a ruling by the Trademark and Registration Board to cancel the trademark on the name "Redskins" due to the fact that it's blatantly racist against Native Americans. Thanks the Gods someone high up in American society has a brain and a more bone in their body. How would Caucasians like it if there was a team called "the crackers" or "the pale people"? It's time for owners of sports teams to get a grip and make sure that their names are culturally sensitive. It's not like anyone is trying to tell them to change it from the Washington robots to something else; YOUR NAME IS OFFENSIVE! Owner Dan Snyder has come out and tried to explain to the media and anyone who cares to listen, that the name is rooted in tradition and historical significance. The tradition he is talking about is the fact that no one has had the brains to change the name. The historical significance is that George Preston Marshall, who founded the team, was known as the biggest racist in the NFL while owning the team. During his tenure as team owner, he refused to sign any African-american players while others were signing and even drafting players in the early 1940's. He tried to play it off saying he wanted to pander to the southern market as a reason for not signing African-Americans; no you're just a terrible person. To have a person with the societal standing of Snyder saying that he respects this tradition, commissioner Roger Goodell needs to give him an ultimatum; either change the name or sell the team. Just from a business standpoint, your brand is being rightfully dragged through the mud. Your sales will plummet because no new fan is going to want to be associated with a racist name. Taking emotion right out of the equation, change the name and while you're at it, grow a heart.

Now, despite Dan Snyder and the Washington Redskins are getting all the negative attention, there is a team in baseball that is even worse. Not only does the MLB team from Cleveland have a very racist name "Indians", they also have an even more racist logo. Everyone with half a brain knows that "Indian" is a derogatory name for First Nations and Native American people (despite the Canadian government still using the term in a very significant piece of legislature), not to mention the fact that you are grouping a very proud people in with people of a similar skin color that are halfway across the world (India). Lets now focus on the logo, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? How on earth are people lighting torches outside Larry Dolan's house trying to force him to change both the name and the logo. The logo originates from a caricature of Native American people entitled: Chief Wahoo. A rather alarming business fact is that when the caricature logo was put on to their hats in 1986, the sales went through the roof. Yeah, consider me a little shocked and offended too. At least the Redskins logo is somewhat respectable illustrations of a strong looking Native-American who is ready to kick some ass in battle. The Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL have shown the world how to actually represent the Native-American community with dignity and respect. Their logo is of a proud Blackhawk warrior and is used a symbol of strength throughout the city of Chicago and beyond. In multiple surveys of sports teams logos, the Blackhawks have consistently been voted as having the best logo in North American sports. The one positive aspect of the Cleveland Indians is the fact that Larry Dolan is not as ignorant to societies stance on inappropriate logo's as, since 2014, his team is using a "C" in block lettering as their primary hat logo. Bravo Larry Dolan, now wouldn't it be easy to just either phase the logo out all together or do a re-imagining of the logo?

You must now be thinking, what name should the Redskins use instead? Or, what logo and name should the Cleveland Indians use instead? Well, here is some options:

Options for the Redskins name change:

1) Crows: A fierce and noble tribe of Native Americans all over North America.

If they change the logo, it could be either:

   or       (Jon Snow in GoT)

2) Change the name and logo all together:

Name: Washington Orcas: Orca's are one of the national animals of Washington and they are pretty violent creatures.

Logo:    or   

As for the Cleveland Indians, here are my suggestions for a complete re-branding:

Name #1: The Cleveland Lebrons:

Lebron James is probably the only good thing to happen to this rust-belt city in its history.

Logo #1)

Name #2: Cleveland Rockers:

Cleveland is home to the Rock-and-Roll hall of fame. Every game could have a upstart band rocking out during the 7th inning stretch.

Logo #2:  or      

Let me know what you think of the article, name changes, or the logos. My name is Smoke Stark and this has been my rant on two of the most racist teams in sports. Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians YOU HAVE FAILED THIS CITY!

Old Time Honey!

Nancy O's Restaurant  Monday, July 27

8:00pm - 11:00pm

Old Time Honey is organic and raw, taking it back to where good music began by defining their own jug band and cajun sound. Born on the streets of Montreal, in the form of sultry banjo playin' (Aly), one-of-a-kind washboard percussion (Squirrell) and joining them for this tour, Prince George's very own purveyor of musical rapture, Scott Dunbar on the washtub bass! Fans young and old agree, Old Time Honey's soulful singing and danceable rhythms make for a live music experience not soon forgotten. Whether playing a large festival stage or an impromptu street corner, this trio knows how to captivate and animate a crowd. The trail they leave behind of smiles and scuffed dancin' shoes grows larger every day!

Smoke's Rant: Winners of NHL Free Agency

Christmas comes early in late June and early July as the NHL Entry draft transitions into the Free Agent Frenzy that keeps hockey fans glued to their television, tablets, and phones to see how many changes that their favorite team makes. Fans of the the top teams are hoping that their GM can just keep the team together, while fans of bottom feeders hope that their team gets a shakeup to turn their fortunes around. Since the dust has settled a little bit from all the off-season action, it is my sworn duty to tell you which teams have gotten better and which have gotten worse. Here are the NHL's two biggest Winners of the the off-season so far:

1) Calgary Flames: If the Flames were not already scary enough because of what they did last season, they got even more scary. At the draft, they pulled off the best trade that has been seen in some time trading away a 1st round pick, and two 2nd round picks in exchange for young star defenceman Dougie Hamilton from the Boston Bruins. Some would say all those picks are a steep price for one player, but it was the missing piece to a pretty awesome puzzle in Calgary. When they played against the Ducks in the second round of the playoffs this past season, they were very vulnerable in their own zone and as well as against the transition game. Dougie Hamilton gives the team a young guy that can contribute a little bit offensively, but on the defensive end of the puck, Hamilton is as solid as any young player can be. He always makes the safe play up the board, or makes an outlet pass to let the forwards charge into the oppositions zone with a head of steam. Critics of this addition to the Flames might say that he is not a game changer or that they have never really noticed him as an integral part of the Bruins. THAT"S THE POINT!!! Hamilton will never wow you with making highlight reel goals, he might not even be very noticeable at time, that's because he is doing his job properly. A good defensive d-man is one that nobody notices unless they make a great defensive play or when you look at the score sheet at the end of the game and realize he has a great +/- record. In 2013-14, Hamilton played 64 games, got 23 points and was an astounding +22, one of the best in the NHL. The Flames needed to get a young pillar that they form their defensive core around, they found one of the best young defenceman in the entire league. The Calgary Flames also added some secondary scoring, picking up Michael Frolik from the Jets in the free agency market and locked him up for 5 years. Frolik not only brings you exactly 42 points a season (exact same points that last couple of seasons), he also gives the Flames some much needed Stanley Cup experience, which they will need when they try to make a long run in the playoffs next year.

2) Edmonton Oilers: The Edmonton Oilers are finally moving in the right direction. They went from looking like the goat of the league to a young dragon destined to become a devour-er. The stellar off-season started in April with the luckiest lottery pick in a decade. Facing insurmountable, the Oilers got their name called to pick the 1st overall pick. On June 27th, the Oilers made if official by drafting Connor McDavid, but that was more luck than skill for the Oilers brass. The true work came after the 1st pick when they got Cam Talbot in a trade with the New York Rangers. Now, I am not completely sold on Talbot as a legitimate #1 goaltender. His numbers this past season were great, but he was just covering for an injured Lundquist. Talbot is going to have to face the scrutiny and media that surrounds the Oilers. Next, Peter Chiarelli went into free agency and targeted his team's other weakness by snagging Mark Letestu from the Columbus Blue Jackets and Andrej Sekera from the Kings. Letestu was a solid secondary scoring option for the Jackets with 34 points in 64 games in 2013/14. At only $1.8 mil per year for 3 years, he is low risk good reward. Sekera is the prize signing fore the Oilers, who has very particular stats that interested Chiarelli. When Sekera is on the ice, his team

Teams that were once floundering have now become the envy of most teams with a dominant off-season of change. I am Smoke Stark and this has been my rant on the NHL winners this off-season. I am the best at what I do, but what I do isn't very nice. Thanks for reading Sports Fans!

Summer Festival Guide - north/central BC 2015

OK! It is officially the mid-point of summer. It is officially time to scrunch all 8 months of summer dreaming into the always down to party running around flailing in fields best friends of the year months of July and August. If your winter dreams include big skies accompanied by acoustic guitar, dancing barefoot like a pirate to accordions, eating from food trucks and car trunks, setting up tents at dusk, sipping sweet Wells scotch, and walking beneath big owl heads on stilts, look no further than some of the stunning summer music festivals of northern/central BC. This list is not exhaustive but will get the ball rolling!

Midsummer Music Festival – Smithers BC, July 3/4/5

Local favs: Black Spruce Bog, Rachelle Van Zanten, Miss Quincy & The Showdown

From afar: Pick a Piper, Adrian Glynn & Fringe Percussion, Napoleon Skywalker

Website: http://smithersmusicfest.com/

Arts on The Fly – Horesfly BC, July 10-11

Home town legends: Pharis & Jason Romero, Bernadette Ducharme, Marin Patenaude, Little Horsefly Country Band

Must see: Sam Tudor, Sober Becky, Blocktreat, Dawn Pemberton, Power Duo

Website: http://artsonthefly.com/

Atlin Arts & Music Festival - Atlin BC, July 10th-11

Holy macaroni: Ian Tyson, Death, Dana Sipos, Soda Pony

Visual Art: Jeanine Baker, Emma Barr, Mary Beattie

Willow River Daze – Willow River BC, July 11^th

Black Spruce Bog! And best Chili making contest! CHILI!!

Prince George 100^th Anniversary Celebration Lheidli T'enneh Park July 17 - Prince George BC

Music in a Park:The Pucks! Black Spruce Bog!

Pucks and Bogs ! OMG Canada.

Canolafest - Taylor BC, July 18^th

Headliner: The Roadhammers – Juno nominated country

Local Favs: Lorissa Scriven, Folky Strum Strum, CC Brooks and The Dog Pony Show

Website: http://canolafest.com

Bella Cool Music Festival - Bella Coola BC, July 18th/19th

Oh me oh my: Fred Penner, Barney Bentall, Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer, Logan Staats, CR Avery, Miss Quincy & The Showdown

Website: bellacoolamusic.org

Grassy Plains Music Festival - Grassy Plains BC, July 17^th-18^th

PG Proud: Kym Gouchie, Black Spruce Bog

Hootstock Music Festival – Forest Grove BC, July 24-25

Must see: Winona Wilde, Twin Peaks, Joey Only, Red Haven, Doug Koyama, The Grid Pickers, Dead Body Juice

Stomping around dancing bands: Saturn Alien, Tax Free Liquor, Devil In The Woodshack, Folky Strum Strum

http://www.hootstock.com

Artswells Festival of All Things Art – Wells BC, July 31-July2

You may have heard of: The Wooden Sky, Rodney DeCroo, Copilots, Sarah Burton

BC Favs: Bend Sinister, Colin Cowan & The Elastic Stars, Kym Gouchie, Navaz, The Chimney Swallows, Twin Peaks

Website: www.artswells.com

Robson Valley Music Festival  – Dunster BC, August 14-15

Check Out: Compassion Gorilla, Buckman Coe, Quique Escamilla, Old Time Honey

If you missed them earlier: Twin Peaks, Black Spruce Bog, Dead Body Juice

Website: http://www.robsonvalleymusicfestivalbc.com/

Music on The Mountain – Fort St James BC, August 21-23

Say goodbye to summer with: Drum & Bell Tower, Liz Stringer, Annie Becker, Barefoot Caravan, Dave Soroka, Devon Cayote, Dido Ne Drum & Dance

Website: http://momfestival.com/

Smoke’s Rant: Team Canada does Nation Proud at Women’s World Cup Despite Early Exit

Sure, some would say that it was disappointing that the Canadian team didn’t go as far as they did in the 2012 London Olympics where they captured bronze, but that is complete garbage. The girls went unbeaten in the round robin, then shut out a very strong Swiss team with a complete defensive game, the likes of which coaches around the nation should look at when trying to make their own minor teams better. Hell, GK McLeod had three clean sheets in five games. Christine Sinclair and company took the weight of a nation on their shoulders and performed on the biggest stage of them all up until the last whistle. Even, when faced with a team that was ranked higher in the world ranking than them, team Canada still went out and dominated the game; unfortunately the result did not go in their favor. So, what happened in the quarter finals against England?

One simple answer: we couldn’t finish. I am not talking about finishing strong in the game, I am talking about the inability to capitalize on golden opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net. The biggest culprit go throwing away chances was striker Melissa Tancredi. Less than 1 minute into the game, Christine Sinclair kicks a beautiful cross to Tancredi and she beats the defender that was on her, but instead of taking the time that she had and placing the ball for a perfect shot, she decides to fire a shot off in a hurried fashion and wings it about 10 feet over the net for a missed opportunity. Just get the ball on the giant net and see what happens! Throughout the game Tancredi had a handful of glorious chances to help get Canada the lead to tie the game when the team was down, but failed on every attempt. Coach John Herdman realized about three-quarters of the way through the game that Tancredi had lost confidence in herself and her abilities and mercifully decided to switch her out for Andria Leon, whom created more chances and looked sharper overall then Tancredi did. John Herdman relied heavily on some players to pull through for him, which ended up being his team’s downfall in the end.

Second simple answer: Sesselmann. For those who watched Canada’s last two games, a one name explanation is all you need. For those whom unfortunately didn’t catch some of the spectacular action displayed by number 10, let me catch you up to speed. Let’s start with the game against the Swiss. Sesselmann appears to have a lack of confidence from the very first kick. Placed at left-back to defend from any crosses that might worry the goalkeeper, it became very clear that the Swiss were targeting her side for entrance into the offensive zone. Everytime the ball crossed halfway, i would close my eyes and predict where there midfielder was going to take it, and without fail, it was always to Sesselmann’s side. Thank goodness John Herdman is not blind. Because halfway through the game, after numerous glorious chances for the Swiss, Sesselmann was put in the center-back position for the remainder of the game. This is not to say that this fixed the problem altogether, but it did reduce the number of chances for the opposition. So, one would ask themselves, why don’t we put another defender in the next game that has confidence in herself and is solid defensively. John Herdman may not be blind, but he might have amnesia, as Sesselmann was put in the starting rotation for the game against the English. Within 10 minutes, after Tancredi has missed a couple of grade A scoring chances, Sesselman coughs up the ball on an easy pass from her teammate this gives England a partial breakaway, which striker Taylor makes no mistake putting the ball past McLeod. It was the second guessing of herself and the errand passes she made all tournament that caused Canada to not go as far as its supporter wanted.

Despite Tancredi and Sesselmann’s lack of stellar play, the overall effort of the team was absolutely incredible. To have the girls even get past the round robin stage, is a feat in of itself. The fact that stepping on the pitch and playing with as much heart as they did inspired a nation of young girls and boys to pursue their passion in soccer, in the hopes that one day they can represent their country like Sinclair and company.

As Andrew Soltis brought up on The Smoke Show, Canada has a great chance to get right back on the horse in August as they represent their country again in the Pan-American Games in Toronto. This next tournament gives them a chance to prove to the world that they are even better than their World Cup result signified, and bring a nation to their feet one more time on home soil.

I am Smoke Stark and this has been my rant on Canada doing us proud at the Women’s World Cup. Thanks for reading and the night is always darkest before the dawn. 

Smoke's Rant: NHL 2015 Draft Predictions

My first rant for this week is more of a prediction. Since the draft order for Friday’s draft has been made available, I have work tirelessly to try and come up with the most accurate prediction of how the draft is going to go down. Keep in mind, these picks are baring any trades that may or may not happen. The Arizona Coyotes have already been fielding a few legitimate offers for their 3^rd overall pick, so that pick might be going elsewhere. With that said, the first overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry draft will be….

1) Edmonton Oilers: CONNOR MACDAVID. (F)

Connor MacDavid has been talked about ever since he arrived on the OHL scene at age 15. The kid is an absolute wizard with the puck and can see the ice better than most current NHL stars. Even in a year where he sustained a pretty severe hand injury that put him out of action for months, MacDavid came back to the OHL (after a gold medal at the world juniors) to produce 3.5 points per game and still captured third in the OHL scoring race with 120pts. There is no doubt in any person’s mind that McDavid is going to be the next mega star in the NHL, that’s if the Oilers don’t screw him over like they have the last couple of 1^st overall picks they have gotten.

2) Buffalo Sabres: JACK EICHEL. (F)

Eichel is starting to develop an ego to match his incredible talent, as he has stated that whoever pick him must commit to playing him for the full NHL season or he won’t sign with the team. The Boston College standout has been going head-to-head with McDavid for the last year to see who goes number 1 overall. Eichel had a mediocre world juniors, which made the gap between the two star insurmountable. Scout and analysts alike have said that they would put Eichel 1^st overall in any other draft in the past, ahead of the likes of Steven Stamkos and John Tavares. Buffalo is in desperate need of a playmaking center to accompany their newest star acquisition: Evander Kane.

3) Arizona Coyotes: NOAH HANIFIN. (D)

Also hailing from Boston College, Hanifin has been rising up the rankings throughout the year. Some scouts had him going as low as 10^th overall, but his play in the later part of the NCAA regular season and playoffs, coupled with a stalwart performance as team USA’s anchor on defense, Arizona can ill afford to pass on this stud d-man who I would liken to a Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues. With so many great forward prospects, the Coyotes need some help on the back end if they have any chance of becoming a contender years down the road.

4) Toronto Maple Leafs: DYLAN STROME. (F)

The Maple Leafs need a lot of help everywhere, but the most important position is right down the middle. The Leafs are likely trading away their star sniper in Phil Kessel, thus need a player that can fill in for Kessel in the near future. Despite being somewhat of a product of McDavid’s immense talent, Strome proved critics wrong as he kept up his stellar play when his teammate was injured getting 29points in 20 games. The extra bonus with Strome is that he won’t get wowed by the bright lights of the NHL because he has already gone through the process with his older brother Ryan, who is a star player for the Islanders. The only problem is that if he doesn’t get help, he cannot carry a team on his back, especially early on in his career. Dylan Strome is a player that the Leafs need, but should also pay careful attention in developing properly.

5) Carolina Hurricanes: MIKKO RANTANEN (F)

With the Hurricanes shopping around Jeff Skinner in the offseason, they are in desperate need of scoring at the top end of their lineup. Rantanen is a huge body at 6”3 and 211lbs, which he could use to make room for himself to be open for a beauty of a pass from Stall and company. Even though there are forwards considered better in the draft, the Hurricanes need to understand their need in scoring and have a player that is ready to step into the NHL right now.

6) New Jersey Devils: MITCH MARNER (F)

The London Knights playmaking forward is the perfect fit for the Devil’s if he slips down to number 6. The Devil’s struggled finding anybody to fill the 2^nd line center role to help the likes of Patrick Elias and relieve the pressure of Travis Zajac, who other teams have targeted on every shift he plays. Marner complied 82 assists for the Knights last year. Scouts have likened him to a Patrick Knae, but I would lean towards a Patrice Bergeron.

7) Philadelphia Flyers: LAWSON CROUSE (F)

Despite having a very German last name, this Canadian is all red and white heart. At 6”4 and 215lbs, Crouse can give Flyers fans a taste of the orange and black of old, but his playmaking hands and nose for the net will be a huge compliment for Claude Giroux and company. Crouse will be developing alongside a plethora of young prospects that the Flyers are bringing up in their organization. Imagine him on a line with Giroux and Brayden Schenn? Scary!

8) Columbus Blue Jackets: IVAN PROVOROV (D)

From the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, Provorov has been one of the main reasons that his team was so dominant throughout the regular season. Constantly giving the likes of the Prince George Cougars a headache the moment they crossed the red line, Provorov is the perfect addition to the weak Jackets blueline. I ask you this, name another defenseman after Jack Johnson? Exactly. Sergei Bobrovski can only do so much with before the onslaught of forwards swarm his crease. Ivan Provorov can be the start of a blueline rebuild that most believe is way overdue for an upgrade.

9) San Jose Sharks: OLIVER KYLINGTON (D)

Going slightly off the board with this pick, Kylington was considered to be the cream of the crop in the beginning of the season, but he struggled down the stretch and pushed him down most rankings. I believe the size and mobility will be clear to the Sharks and they will have another cornerstone d-man alongside Mirco Mueller.

10) Colorado Avalanche: ZACH WERENSKI (D)

Another top end talent coming out of the NCAA this season, Werenski is a big body presence on the back end, but also has the hands to put up some major points against other team’s top threats. 25 points in 35 games is pretty darn good for a defenseman, especially considered he was one of the youngest players in the league. Colorado needs another big time offensive defensemen on a core that is getting ancient by the minute.

11) Florida Panthers: TIMO MEIER (F)

After drafting Aaron Ekblad 1^st overall last year, the Panthers are looking to bulk up on the offence. No one fits the bill better than Halifax Mooseheads leading score Timo Meier. At 6”2 and over 200lbs, Meier possesses the raw talent to take games over down low. Not only is he a strong offensive force, he is also responsible offensively, which is a trait that is rare in such a young player. Alongside Nick Bjugstad and Alex Barkov, the Panthers could be building up one of the best young offences in the league.

12) Dallas Stars: JAKUB ZBORIL (D)

From the QMJHL Saint John’s Sea Dogs, Zboril is a fast puck moving defenseman, whose talents would fit perfectly into the style of play that the Stars have developed under coach Lindy Ruff. In his rookie campaign, Zboril tallied 33 points in 44 games. The stars are looking to make their d-core younger and faster if they are wanting to keep up with the likes of the Blackhawks and Blues. Zboril will not be on the opening day roster for the Stars, but expect him to put on a few more pounds onto his frame and be ready to make a big impact in a couple of years.

13) LA Kings: JACOB LARSSON (D)

Larsson is a stay-at-home d-man, who has had the chance to play with men in the Swedish Elite League. At 6”2 and just shy of 200lbs, Larsson’s style of play will help the Kings in one of the only areas that they are weak (in their own zone). For too long the Kings have relied on Johnathan Quick to bail them out, problem is, he only plays well if he gets into the playoffs. Larsson should signify a movement by Kings management to stop loading up talent for an all-out attack, and focus more on the times that the puck is in their own zone.

14) Boston Bruins: MATHEW BARZAL (F)

The young phenome ran into a bit of injury trouble, which took him out of action for over three months. Widely considered to be a top end forward talent in this year’s draft, his stock has dropped a bit. The Bruins are in desperate need of replenishing the offensive well in their organization. Barzal will not be available to play for the Bruins this year, no should he. Another year with the Seattle Thunderbirds under his belt will give him the confidence to try and crack the lineup for the 2016/2017 season.

15) Calgary Flames: Thomas Chabot (D)

With a wealth of young talent up front with the likes of Gudreau, Monahan, and Ferland, the Flames are in need up help on the blueline. With the best prospect being Tyler Wotherspoon, the Flames need to create a balance of young prospects in their system. Chabot is considered more of an offensive threat than other d-men in the draft, which is useful when you need to break out of the zone and feed your young teammates the put. Mark Giordano will be a great mentor for Chabot to make him a better-rounded player, but there is no denying his upside will make the Flames winners at the 15^th position.

16) Edmonton Oilers: GABRIEL CARLSSON (D)

Carlsson is a must for the Oilers! They have more than enough high end talent in the forward position, they need to get more defensively responsible. While playing with Linkoping’s junior team, Carlsson put up a very modest 7 points, but managed an astounding +21 rating in 39 games. He has managed to be selected for every national team that he can and excels when put in crucial situations. He says that his favorite player is Nicklas Lidstrom, the Oilers are just hoping that he can help save Scrivens (or Talbot) from drowning in a pile of pucks.

17) Winnipeg Jets: KYLE CONNOR (F)

Even though the Jets made the playoffs and was everyone’s Rudy for the 2014/2015 season, the Jets need to face reality; the Jets overachieved. With the likes of Evander Kane gone to Buffalo and Drew Stafford likely testing free agency, the Jets need some help up front. Mark Sheifele is the only player of note so far that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff can hang his hat on. Kyle Connor is the next answer to their offensive woes. The Jets had an awful time of not being able to get the next goal to put some games out of reach. Connor’s stellar play in the USHL was something that, no doubt caught the eye of Jets scouts as well as many others around the league. If Connor is still on the board, the Jets will not pass on him.

18) Ottawa Senators: PAVEL ZACHA (F)

The Sarnia Sting center is an absolute giant at 6”3 210lbs already. His rankings have been very consistent over the whole year at the 8^th spot in North America. His transition from the Czech Republic has been very smooth compared to other Europeans that have made the trek in years past, I guess it helps when your mentor if former NHL great Petr Nedved. With 34 points in 37 games, Zacha’s nose for the net will be a great asset for the Sens if he falls lower in the draft than other experts believe.

19) Detroit Red Wings: JEREMY ROY (D)

Ever since the retirement of Nick Lidsrom a few years ago, the Red Wings have been trying to fill the void at defense. Jeremy Roy fits the bill in the future. In Sherbrooke of the QMJHL, Roy had 43 points in 46 games, which still lead the team in defenseman scoring. Winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award last year and following it with a very strong performance in his shortened season this year, the Red Wings are looking at a player that can be a rock on the blue line for years to come.

20) Minnesota Wild: TRAVIS KONECNY (F)

The wild have always struggled with scoring, whether it is because they have had the most boring of playing styles, or if it’s because they trade away all their offensive talent. If the wild want to find someone to skate alongside Zac Parise in a year or two from now, Konecny has the balanced attack to light the lamp as well as be defensively responsible. With more than a point a game, the Wild need to have an offensive talent like Konecny in their system if they ever want to get passed the second round of the playoffs without relying solely on their goaltending.

21) Buffalo Sabres: NOAH JUULSEN (D)

The Sabres already have their forward of the future with Eichel, now it’s time for them to focus on their own zone. While Noah Juulsen did not have the greatest of starts, his play in the second half of the season showed scouts and experts alike that he is just getting started. With a 6”2 frame, Juulsen is another kid that needs to fill out more. Put, 20lbs of muscle on him and he becomes a dangerous weapon on a team that’s about as lethal as a ham sandwich. Stylizing himself after Canuck fan favorite Kevin Bieksa, Juulsen possesses a great eye for offense while still maintaining a great +/-. He won’t wow you with amazing goals, but Buffalo just needs him to help get rid of the red light sun burn that Sabres goalies are used to these days.

22) Washington Capitals: NICK MERKLEY (F)

The Capitals will be thanking their lucky stars if the Kelowna Rockets standout is still on the board at the 22^nd spot. He is a dynamic forward that can beat you with speed and get the best out of his fellow linemates with beauty passing and great vision. Merkley and Rourke Charttier tore apart the WHL this past season with a berth in the Memorial Cup as their prize. Despite being an undersized player, the eastern conference is a perfect place for the right winger to thrive. Seeing him beside the likes of Ovechkin and Backstrom will be the envy of the rest of the league. This could be the steal of the first round.

23) Vancouver Canucks: RYAN PILON (D)

Coming off a season that saw his team dominate the WHL until hitting the roadblock known as the Kelowna Rockets, this puck moving offensive d-man is exactly what the Canucks need in their system. Since the likelihood of Bieksa being a Canuck next season, Benning and company need to be looking at replacing him with a younger version. Even though fans might think that a stay-at-home guy like Brandon Carlo of the Tri-City Americans would be a better fit, I have to believe that the speed of Pilon is a great counter to the sluggish problem that the Flames capitalized on in this past season’s playoffs.

24) Toronto Maple Leafs: BRANDON CARLO (D)

The Leafs will be thanking the Canucks that they didn’t lose out on Carlo a pick before. Having already acquiring the services of Dylan Strome earlier, Shanahan’s management group will be looking to give the goaltenders a little help. Carlo is a huge 6’5 and 200lbs, with a mobility of a guy much smaller. Even though he is not known for his shooting ability, the Leafs will get a solid d-man that won’t disappoint (I’m looking at you Luke Schenn).

25) Winnipeg Jets: JANSEN HARKINS (F)

There is a gut feeling that the Prince George star forward will be called to the stage to put on a Jets jersey come Friday. With their second pick in the first round, the Jets will be looking to stockpile an already impressive forward core. Harkins is not likely going to be ready for the bright lights of the NHL for a few years at least, but when he does, you can look forward to hearing a lot of “ Harkins down the wing, shovels it to Sheifele aaaaand scores top self baby; what a beauty!”.

26) Montreal Canadiens: SEBASTIAN AHO (D)

Coming from Umea, just south of the arctic circle, Aho has been playing with men for the majority of the season. His small stature can be a bit of a problem, but the Canadiens have had some pretty good success with smaller talent. Despite his size, Aho has incredible speed and vision for the ice. The fact that he is an accomplished young two-way d-man, in a couple of years, he might even be Andrei Markov’s replacement.

27) Anaheim Ducks: EVGENY SVECHNIKOV (F)

This fast Russian winger used his speed in Cape Breton to launch himself to 78 points in 55 games. Evgeny also fits in with the Ducks size as he is 6”2 and 200lbs. Like Zacha, he has made a seamless transition from mother Russia to the CHL. He can create havoc for Perry and Getzlaf in front of the net, while still having the touch to tap in the dirty rebound. The knock on this player is that he might need a little work on the 200 foot game instead of concentrating on the offensive side of the puck.

28) Tampa Bay Lightning: PAUL BITTNER (F)

The Lightning showed in the playoffs that they need a little bit more size on forward. Bittner is a monster from the Portland Winterhawks at 6”4 with aggression to match. The Lightning are a speedy team but need a third line winger that gives John Copper a little more options when trying to use his minutes well and let some pressure off Stamkos and Tyler Johnson.

29) Philadelphia Flyers: DANIEL SPRONG (F)

Sprong gives the Flyers some much needed speed in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers have long been the victim of faster teams like the Canadiens and Lightning. He could be likened to Joe Sackic with his release. Sprong also shoots in bunches as he notched 270 pucks at the net, which could help create rebounds and other scoring chances.

30) Arizona Coyotes: COLIN WHITE (F)

With the last pick in the first round, the Coyotes will go back to the forward position for their second pick with Colin White. White has fallen down the ranks due to injury and a poor performance at he 5 nations tournament in Czech Republic. , but when he was on the ice, he tallied a point per game and has shown to be a playmaker with 26 assists in 45 games. He is also a clutch performer scoring the gold-medal winning goal in the world under-18 championship.

And with that, we the picks are locked in. If you disagree with the picks, please feel free to leave your comments below. As always, I am Smoke Stark. Thank you for reading, and with great power comes great responsibility.

Winona Wilde Album Review: You Loose Some, You Loose Some

New Music Review: Winona Wilde's You Loose Some, You Loose Some

Winona Wilde grabbed my hand and took me on a wagon ride touring her dynamic genre spanning 10 songs on “You Loose Some, You Loose Some”. From the trumpet speckled “Dating Song” which features Winona’s wit and humour alongside perfectly placed horn (which surely could make the grumpiest of cats to wiggle), to her wisdom and grit in the acapella’s “Six Feet of Earth Pt 1 & Pt 2”, to the smoky vocals and jazzed up arrangement with “Sugar Mama”, she showcases her diverse range and musical ability all without loosing ground of her own sound.

Tom Waits fans will find themselves nostalgic with “Winona’s Blues”, an unhurried but consistent waltz that made me feel as though I was being led along the dusty trails of a travelling musician. And then there is the simple yet potent acoustic “I Can Shout Louder”. This is my personal favourite, conjuring up feelings of my own stubbourness and strong will. This short but sweet gem leaves the listener feeling the fight and power of a strong woman on a mission. Rounding out the album is “Pop & Chips for the Apocalypse”, a solo piano ballad that beautifully paints the tensions of modern living and present day destructions, while still finding space to survive and thrive. At the end of this wagon ride, I felt as though I made a new friend, one who will always surprise me. Winona Wilde don’t mind looking the truth hard in the eye, she stares it down and then paints it out loud with the sweetness and depth of a deep brown sugar and a cool yet unflinching honesty.

You can catch Winona Wilde here in northern BC at these smashing events:

July 24-26 Hootstock Music Festival, near Williams Lake BC

July 28-30 Songwriting Camp, Wells BC

July 31-August 3 Artswells, Wells BC

You can also listen to her tunes on the airwaves from 9-10 am on our daily local show Due North.

LISTEN TO WINONA WILDE YAY!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNqOhVXlq8c

Smoke’s Rant: MOVE THE COYOTES

The NHL has had a pet project for the past half-dozen years or so: the Arizona Coyotes. Hell, they were originally the Phoenix Coyotes when they came from Winnipeg in one of the worst franchise moves of any sport. The situation that the current “Yotes” face is one of absolute ridiculousness; they do not have a place to play their home games. The government of the city of Glendale has decided in its infinite wisdom to lock out the NHL franchise by ripping up their arena contract mere months before the team is set to step back onto the ice for the next season. The reason that the government ended the deal was for two reasons. First, the team has lost a grand total of $30 million over the past fiscal year, which includes the government giving them $15 million as part of the original arena deal. Second, a representative of the government’s negotiating committee during the arena deal flipped over to the Coyotes right after the deal was done. The government actually had a clause in the agreement in which if someone defected to the other side, the deal was open to being cancelled. A lot of people have been bagging on the Glendale officials for the way they have handled the whole situation, but I have one response to their actions; it’s about damn time! The Coyotes should not be in the state of Arizona to begin with. There are so many better places that the team could relocate to in a manner of months; here are the three that have been rumored.

1) Seattle: Seattle is the perfect market for a team like the Coyotes to move because of the rich sports atmosphere that already exists. The Seattle Mariners have one of the best fan bases despite being in a relatively small market comparative to other MLB teams. The Seattle Seahawks are not only just a year removed from hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy, but they have the best fans in the NFL. The 12^th man has never been as stronger in the northwest of the United States. Put in a team that, not only is a playoff contender most of the time, but has one of the best prospect talent pools in the entire league. With the likes of Tobias Reider and Oliver Ekman-Larson already anchoring the offense and defensive cores, the Yotes have young guns Max Domi and Anthony Duclair rising through the ranks. Now add 2 more 1^st round draft picks in this year’s NHL draft and now the Coyotes are a team that the Seattle fans can go nuts over in the next couple of years. Couple the exciting team with the natural rivalry that will inevitably come to an outstanding boiling point with the Vancouver Canucks. Canucks fans should not kid themselves, their team is definitely an even match with the Yotes, especially in the next few years. The goaltending matchup already is intriguing with Miller and Smith between the pipes. I know that Smith has had a pretty rough time of it since leaving Russia with a gold medal around his neck. But, if he can gain back his form, there is no reason that the Seattle fans will have to go through much growing pains. The Seattle market has been itching to have an NHL team for a while; give it to them.

2) Quebec City: Talk about an automatic heated rivalry. Having the Habs against a team that could give them a run for their money is something that every fan east of Manitoba wants to see badly. Having fairly team genetics, the Yotes would instantly have a team that they could measure themselves against every year while creating some much need tension in Quebec. No longer will the focus of the Francophone’s be separating from our country, but now will have the biggest NHL games at least 6 times a year, with the chance of dismantling the young squad. Fans of the Nordiques are still in pain for losing Sakic, Forsberg, and Wendell Clark to Denver Colorado. The city has already made some significant steps towards inviting a franchise back to Quebec City by upgrading their arena as well as gauging the ticket sales that they would get through a petition. The only problem with Quebec City is that their city is still too fresh from losing their team in the eyes of the NHL elite, as well as, the Montreal Canadiens ownership not wanting the new team to damage their ticket sales by offering cheaper tickets for relatively the same quality of team. Some of the bigger franchises in the NHL have the power to veto any teams that they perceive to be encroaching on their potential ticket demographic. The odds for Quebec getting another team any time soon is very slim.

3) Las Vegas: Just when you thought that the NHL being in the dessert of Arizona was a dumbass idea, they go and top themselves by wanting to take the same team and move them to another hot as hades location. Does Gary Bettman not realize that he is dealing with an ICE HOCKEY team? People in both Arizona and Las Vegas don’t want to see a bunch of dudes skating on the ice that they would rather have on their glass. Las Vegas is a city where people go to gamble, have sex with overpriced hookers, and watch Penn and Teller bring back a mammoth from the dead and then proceed to cut it in pieces. Sports that have had success include the UFC and boxing. What do those two have in common that other sports do not? They are one-off events that people can flock to for the weekend. The NHL would literally have to schedule all of the Coyotes home games on the weekend or they would have as much fans show up as a preseason Florida Panthers game (less than 500). It’s all fun and games to have the NHL awards in Vegas because most NHL players and their families will show up, and Evander Kane will flaunt some his Sabres money while doing blow off a tigers back with his shirt off. There is no redeeming reason why the NHL would survive in Vegas, and to have the people running our great game think that this is a suitable location is quite frankly terrifying. There is a reason that the NFL, MLB, and NBA have not touched Sin City with a 25 foot pole.

In conclusion, the NHL should just move the Arizona Coyotes to Seattle so that they are in a city that will make the league money and give Vancouver fans a great rivalry for years to come. I am Smoke Stark and this has been my rant on the Arizona Coyotes mess. In the Game of Thrones, you either win or you die.

Smoke’s Rant: Women’s Soccer is Better Than Men’s

Since June 6^th, the world has focused its collective soccer minds on the nation of Canada as the host for the 2015 Women’s World Cup. The first day saw the host nation take on team China to open the tournament. Despite the lackluster effort by the Canadian squad, they managed to pull out a 1-0 victory with an extra time penalty kick goal by none other than Christine Sinclair. So why is even this match better than most men’s soccer? Because at least it had drama and built to an ultimate climax that rose a nation to its feet with one perfect swift motion of her right foot. Later in the day, the Netherlands pounced to a 1-0 lead over New Zealand and never looked back. With the exception of Germany completely dismantling the poor Ivory Coast, the games through the first five days have been very close. The odds on favorite United States were even in tough against a very game Australian team before the Americans decided to flex their soccer muscles and pot two late strikes to make it 3-1. Lastly, a game between the always insanely good looking nation of Sweden, versus the young fast Nigerian team was supposed to be an easy win for the Swedes. No one gave Nigeria that memo, as they kept on coming back and scoring after trailing. It was a back-and-forth match for the ages. By then end of the match, even one in the stadium, even some of the Swedish fans were happy that the Nigerians made history and grabbed an all important point in the standing. So, is that the only reason women’s soccer is better than men’s? Because some game were close?

Hell no, the reason that women’s soccer is far and above better than men’s is because women are tougher. Not a single time, in the first 4 days, did I see a single girl go down and grab a different part of their body for dramatic effect. Not a single time did a woman need to be carted off the field by trainers only to run into the game a minute later like nothing happened. Adrianne Leon got elbowed in the face so hard I swear I could hear Ronda Rousey smile from Santa Monica, yet she got up and got back in position. If the same play happened in a game with Italy and Spain facing each other, the guy would have fallen down grabbing his face and his leg (for no reason), then claim someone had shot him in the stomach. The women leave the acting to Helen Mirren and Jennifer Lawrence. Don’t get me wrong, I like when men act, heck, I am a huge fan of Chris Pratt and Hugh Jackman; but leave the theatrics to Starlord and Wolverine.

So, when watching the Women’s World Cup over the next month and a half, take the time to appreciate the skill and determination that these female athletes. Take the time to see how much cleaner the beautiful game is played when women take to the pitch. After this tournament wraps up, go back to watching the la Liga or MLS, then tell me which gender is tougher; then tell me which gender is better to watch. I am Smoke Stark, and this has been my rant on the Women’s World Cup. In a world of ordinary mortals, you are a wonder woman.