In May, 2013, the junior hockey world - and if the current state of affairs is some indication, the majority of the hockey world - will be focused on Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and the 2013 Memorial Cup. The host team is the Saskatoon Blades, the one team - as is customary every year - that has had it's ticket to the big dance punched months in advance. As much of as luxury as that assurance is, there's also the other side of the coin... the team's overall expectation in the eyes of itself and the discerning public and it's performance leading up to it. Right now, the pressure stemming from those expectations has got to be antagonizing. Lorne Molleken's Blades currently stand at 12-12-0-1, tied for 12th overall in the league and second in their own division, 13 points behind Prince Albert. As a person whose followed a host team who finished first in the entire CHL in the regular season and still endured a ton of scrutiny, I can feel for him and his guys.
Here in Moncton, all of the pressure from being hosts is still relatively familiar. The Cats were handsomely rewarded for their efforts as 2006 Memorial Cup hosts, finishing first overall in the regular season, first in the CHL rankings, winning the President's Cup and going all the way to the Memorial Cup finals. Although they fell short of the ultimate goal, that year represents the most successful one in franchise history. And yet, if you were to ask me if it was my favorite season in the team's history, I'd be lying if I told you it was. In fact, I can think of two other seasons that I enjoyed more. One was 2009-10, when the Cats won the President's Cup before travelling to Brandon, Manitoba and going 0-3. The other was 1997-98, when a young Cats team mixed raw, unrefined skill with a thoroughly entertaining cast of characters to reach the playoffs for the first time, following that up with what could be considered a minor upset of Chicoutimi in the first round of the playoffs. The 05-06 season come next... and even then, it's a toss-up between them and the President's Cup finalist team of 03-04.
I should point out that I do not wish to come off sounding ungrateful. The work of those players as well as Ted Nolan and his amazing coaching and support staff should not go unacknowledged. The players and fans were treated to a hockey showcase that some franchises wait a generation or more to see. As a side note, I made my debut in the broadcast booth that season, an endeavor from which I'm still reaping the rewards.
The 05-06 team won 53 games in the regular season... however, each time the team would suffer one of it's 15 losses that season, there was usually some degree of concern, dismay or general uncertainty that came along with it. I recall one particular loss in early October - it might have actually been their first loss of the season - in which everything from goaltending to secondary scoring to depth of the blueline was questioned. This was a game in October... the team was something like 5-1... and I recall talking to some people the next home game in which they were questioning how well this team would represent the league as a host. You want to see irrational fans and crazy knee jerk reactions at the drop of a hat? Live in a Memorial Cup host city for a year... you'll see as wide an array of emotions as humanly possible.
Why did I enjoy the other two seasons above more than the ultimately more successful one? Simply put, the expectations in 09-10 were high, but alot more realistic. The general consensus from those I spoke to was the team was strong, they stood a good chance of winning it all in the Q (which they did) and let the chips fall where they may out west. One loss was not the end of the world. Sometimes it's how you approach a successful season that makes a difference, and in that case it most certainly did for me.
The 97-98 season was - simply put - good, plain fun. The team was entertaining, jumped up in leaps and bounds in the standings over the previous year, were young, aggressive (very much so at times) and played an entertaining style. Hell, Alexi Tezikov alone was worth the price of admission many a night. And finally, there were no tremendous expectations. That team was almost like an experiment of sorts... lots of new faces (including a new head coach), younger returning guys, an array of vets and two impact Euros (if you didn't think Jan Horacek was impact, you've never seen him play here). They weren't a top flight team, but an intriguing team... which made it all the more interesting to see how far the group would go. In the end, the team was up and down most of the year, hit it's stride in the playoffs, received outstanding goaltending from JF Damphousse (have to put a plug in there since I share a broadcast area with him two dozen times a year... he was great those playoffs, though.) and was narrowly eliminated in a dubious round robin format in round two of the playoffs. It remains the most gratifying second round exit I've ever witnessed. Once again, sometimes how you get there - and the atmosphere surrounding you as you make that journey - can play a very vital role in what you get out of the experience.
The Memorial Cup is one of those things that is an absolute thrill to anyone who's had their team of choice participate in it. Hosting it is a privilege and puts that team at a distinct advantage. They only have to be good for a week (a protocol many people I know disagree with in principle and those people have valid points) and build their teams accordingly (see the 2012 Shawinigan Cataractes), but although on one hand it's the greatest gift a team can receive, on the other hand it's a stressful scenario in which all of the primary people feel the weight of thousands on their shoulders. You get a free ticket to the dance, but you're wearing a five ton ball and chain along the way... and discriminating people from near and far will continue to add to that weight as time rolls on.
Fortunately for the Blades, there's plenty of season left. They can still get on a huge roll and strengthen their team though trades. However, I don't know how keen I'd be on attending a game at Credit Union Place right about now. I think the irrationality and scrutiny would cause me some discomfort. The team and their fans are in the easiest, toughest position in the CHL right now.
Tough job, this hosting business. Where's Alexi Tezikov when you need him?
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