More With Les

Obviously, I don't visit this blog as much as I once did. Occasionally, someone might make mention or retweet something I wrote here four or five years ago. Other than that, it's not a place I often think of coming back to.

I made it a point to return tonight.

If you've ever read something on here or something I've written for the MHL website; if you've ever watched or listened to me on radio, TV or the internet and enjoyed it (or rolled your eyes and flipped to reruns of The Big Bang Theory), there is one person above all others that you should thank (or if you're in the latter category, curse). His name was Les Stoodley. If you're a fan of the QMJHL from a certain time period in the Maritimes, particularly in Moncton, you already know who he is. Les was many things to many people, myself included. How I came to know Les was so purely coincidental it borders on the absurd.

In the fall of 2005, I was a season ticket holder for the Moncton Wildcats. Like many other fans during that time (particularly that season, in which the Wildcats were gearing up to host the 2006 Memorial Cup), I also followed the team on the road somewhat frequently via what was then a free and fairly newfangled webcasting service (this was prior to the team broadcasting its games on radio). I knew who Les was. I enjoyed listening to him, even if I didn't have any real appreciation for the job he was doing. During a home game early in the season I was chatting with a friend of mine and, when the topic of Les and the broadcasts came up, I nonchalantly quipped "I should go on the air with Les and see what people think of my opinion." My friend quickly replied that he knew Les (in fact, he was related to him through marriage) and that if I wanted to look into the idea, he could arrange for us to meet. My immediate thought was to say that I was just being a smart ass (wouldn't be the first or last time...). Before I had a chance to say that, my reply somehow changed to "Yeah sure... make it happen!"

Talk about a twist of fate.

A short time later, Les and I did in fact reach out to one another. He was looking at establishing some sort of "Hot Stove" type intermission show between the first and second periods of Wildcat home games. Les would host the segment while his color commentator, Frank Robidoux, would join the discussion panel that would also include various other personalities. He asked if I wanted to sit in and listen to a segment during the next home game and would I be interested in joining in the following game. I said I would give it a shot. And so it was, on October 19, 2005, a very nervous Will MacLaren made his broadcasting debut during the first intermission of a game between the Wildcats and Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Here was a guy with tons of experience behind the mic; the primary voice of what was one of the very best teams in the CHL that season, a longtime vet with the CBC in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia... and he was interested in giving some random jabroni plucked from the stands - all but a complete stranger - the opportunity to talk about the game! Do you know how many people would be willing to give that a shot? It's a pretty short list.

Nonetheless, I got through the first intermission, was signaled to speak up during the segment by the host (the first and last time that was required), got a couple of points across and was asked by Les on air, at the end of the segment, "And hopefully, Will, we will get to hear from you again next home game?". The answer was yes (what else could I say?). Besides, I didn't pass out or drop an F-bomb... and I was in this deep. More importantly, I enjoyed it and was pretty much hooked on seeing how far this fledgling opportunity could go. Twelve years later, I still don't have an answer to that question.

I think it's safe to say that nobody else but Les Stoodley would have offered up that sort of opportunity. Nor would anyone else have been a better person to help someone break into the broadcasting world. Les was an amazing storyteller. By extension, he was one of the very best conversationalists I've ever encountered in my life. I didn't realize it at the time but in hindsight, I wouldn't have lasted five minutes on the air if I didn't have someone with the capabilities of Les pulling the strings. Whether I needed that softball question to get through a segment or, when I had the chance to eventually do a bit of color work, a kick under the press box table because I was rambling on, he was there to provide whatever was needed. Les made the first few years of my time on the air as easy as the situation could possibly allow. More importantly, he made me want to continue. I didn't fully appreciate that fact until I was working games without him there.

That phase began when I started doing work for Rogers TV in 2008. Hosting, reporting, color, play by play... I was doing a little bit of everything. Early on, I was doing most of it for the first time. It took a long time to reach some sort of comfort zone and there were a few nights where I figured this would be my last game. However, I kept plugging away (Rogers was also short on volunteers and kept calling). Eventually, time with Rogers calling minor and high school hockey became calling MHL games. The MHL games on Rogers turned into a prolonged period as the webcast voice of the Dieppe Commandos (which allowed me to continue working with Les' color guy and my good friend, Frank, as well as another great voice in the hockey world, Mike Sanderson - not to mention my long time broadcast partner Craig Eagles). The Commandos gig (as well as this blog), led directly to the communications job with the MHL. Eventually, I returned to Rogers... this time as a play by play guy, color commentator or host (depending on what was required) for Q games. Occasionally, I found myself at the exact same spot in the Coliseum press box where I had began about a decade earlier. Only this time, I was calling the game. The small sign in front of me in the booth, reading, simply, "Voice of the Wildcats", was put there while Les was still calling the games.

Circle of life, indeed...

Despite not working together after Les' retirement in the spring of 2010, we stayed in more or less constant contact. I'd send him the occasional clip from my Commandos games and he'd give his thoughts on my call. Usually however, we talked about how things were... how we were... how the Wildcats were. At this point in his life, Les had taken sick with cancer and was - sometimes unexpectedly - rather nomadic, moving three times over the next few years before finally settling in Edmundston. Our emails were essentially the old intermission show stripped bare. I still have those emails.

Les also had a way of popping up at the most opportune of times. Two stories to illustrate what I mean:

Back in about 2013 or so, my wife and I were on one of our frequent trips to Boston (I loves me some Fenway). One night, we were walking towards one of our favorite Italian restaurants when, completely out of the blue, I said to my wife "I really should reach out to Les when we get back home." Minutes later, while standing in line to get into the restaurant, my phone goes off... it's an email from Les. He was asking about me, how the Commandos games were going and what about this blog that he heard I was writing? How could he find it and read it? Needless to say, I was surprised. It would turn out to be only my second most surprising "Les moment".

The one that takes the cake took place about two years later. During the second round of the 2015 playoffs, I headed to the Coliseum to take in Game 2 of the series between Moncton and Halifax. I wasn't working this game and only intended on watching from the press box. I got to the box, greeted the friendly Lion's club member that has worked as press box security at the Coliseum for years and stopped dead in my tracks when I heard a voice behind the security guard say "I see they still let anyone up here."

There was Les... sitting on a stool, grinning from ear to ear.

Remember how I said Les had a way with conversation? He also had timing. This was perfect timing. I had just gotten over a very bad cold that made calling the recently completed 2015 MHL Final challenging at best. I was in the midst of what was sometimes a stressful transition in my daytime work life. Most importantly, my father had passed away six days earlier. If ever there was a time that I could've used a evening of unwinding and chat with a guy that could converse like Les, this was the time.

And there he was.

I didn't tell him about work or my dad or the fact that I barely scratched my way through a couple of the most important games in the MHL that season (credit Mike Sanderson with a massive save on that front). I asked how he was (he was in town to see his oncologist), we talked about the days in the booth, how the Wildcats were doing, how the game and series was unfolding and how those two guys on the Mooseheads, Timo Meier and Nicolaj Ehlers, were pretty talented and that they might win the series for Halifax largely by themselves (which very nearly happened). It was a three period long edition of the intermission show. At one point, l'Acadie Nouvelle reporter Stephane Paquette (who was on those intermission shows on an almost nightly basis) turned to us and said "wow, this sounds just like the old days".

I suppose you could say it was Les and I's series finale.

The leukemia never went away and upon returning home from a vacation that October, I received an email from Les' partner, Micheline. The end was near. There were a couple more updates before the final one came two years ago today. Les was gone.

Though sad, at least the suffering was over. The cancer took its toll, even if the victim didn't always let on that it did. The guy had so much to say and so much to give - as a broadcaster, a public speaker, a dedicated spokesperson for Alcoholics Anonymous, helping his fellow people in recovery and an overall outstanding friend and family member to so many - that there just wasn't much of time in Les' world for self pity or negativity.

I sent my condolences, went to the funeral. The Wildcats put together a nice little tribute video. However, the best tribute that I saw came from former Wildcats business manager Bill Schurman. When Les passed, Bill tweeted this out:

RIP Les Stoodley. Great person,friend, broadcaster. We always teased he was a play behind @monctonwildcats @QMJHL Truth is he was way ahead.

Well said, Bill.

And in an outstanding example of irony, if Les was still around, he probably would've kicked me a dozen times under the table for rambling on this much. It is definitely worth the metaphorical bruised shins. And besides, he's the one who put the mic in front of me to begin with.

Thanks, Les.

Off Season, Off Target

This is not here

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

First, there was the one win in the calendar year 2017. Then, the draft lottery that didn't quite go as expected. But still, the Moncton Wildcats had a number of tools in the toolbox with which to continue along on their scorched earth rebuild. Plenty of draft picks, various trades options in conjunction with those picks and, of course, the CHL Euro Draft.

That last one might become a prime example of the old adage, "Let the buyer beware".

Russian forward Alexander Khovanov was selected second overall by the Cats in that draft. Days later, he was appearing at Moncton GM Roger Shannon's V-Reds Hockey Camp donning the Wildcats sweater. All was well... so well, you could almost hear the PR wheels turning from the team offices within the Coliseum.

Except there's a rather large question mark hanging out there regarding the status of the aforementioned Mr. Khovanov. Will he be calling the Coliseum home during that building's historical (and humid) final season as the home of the Cats? Or will he be staying put where he plied his trade last season, over 7000 kilometers away in Kazan, Russia, home of the KHL club Ak Bars Kazan? One thing that is certain, as per Khovanov's Instagram, is that he has signed a three year deal with the KHL team. Conspiracy theories abound. Is Kazan looking for a transfer fee? Is Khovanov looking to go on loan to the CHL? Is the player going for the money... money that's right in his own backyard?

Any way you slice it, this is at best an unwanted distraction for Wildcats hockey ops. At worst it torpedos their attempt at accelerating a massive rebuild. Based on the lack of news coming from the team, one can't help but feel it's more the latter than the former.

Now to be fair, the Wildcats have historically had more success stories than busts when it comes to the Euro Draft. One of their two QMJHL playoff MVP's hailed from overseas (Latvian product Martins Karsums in 2006). Guys like Alexi Tezikov, Marek Hrivik, Ivan Barbashev and Dimitri Jaskin were all impact players during their time in Moncton. Goaltender Roman Will practically clinched a playoff spot for the 2011-12 team all by himself. Several others put in serviceable stints in key supporting roles. By a longshot, it hasn't been all that bad for the Cats.

But as Bony M warned us back in the day... Oh, those Russians!

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not going all Don Cherry on all you kids out dere. As well, Roger Shannon has always been accommodating to any crew I've been on during my broadcasting time in Moncton. Assistant GM Ritchie Thebeau is a great guy with a solid background. I'd also like to think no organization at any level in a situation like Moncton's would purposefully take a guy with such a valuable pick on an absolute whim. However, in an off-season where the Wildcats made it a point to stop the practice of swinging for the fences in the QMJHL Draft by taking long shot Americans and trading down and altogether out of any number of prime selection slots, the Cats ended up dipping into the most unpredictable talent pool to try and feed their most immediate need. That need being the most talented, league ready player possible at any position.

Simply put, every time a Russian gets selected to play junior hockey in Canada, there is going to be some rolling of the dice. The Wildcats know this as well as any team in the CHL. There's been flat out no shows (Sergei Konkov), guys who brought more baggage than what was merely in their suitcases when they finally did arrive in North America (Alexi Shotov, who ended up being traded for Cody Doucette who, to his credit, assisted on the goal that sent the Cats to the 2004 Final), players who literally disappeared at the drop of a hat (Tezikov, who worked a loophole in the CHL/NHL agreement to bolt to the AHL midway through the 1998-99 season) and guys who flat out just didn't work out (Vladimir Tkatchev, who would go to Quebec and help eliminate Moncton from the playoff in 2015).

I left Karill Kabanov for last, since he could constitute an entire blog post of his own. Also, Slava Voyonov made the AHL before ever making it to Moncton, which is more of a cautionary tale regarding taking players that are already NHL drafted, though from a moral standpoint, that one probably worked out for the best. Also, Alpines (remember them, Robert?) draft pick Mikael Kazakavich ended up flying to Fredericton airport instead of Moncton when coming over but that's more of a cautionary tale about flying Air Canada.

It's easy in hindsight to say that the Wildcats should've selected someone else last month. However, it's just as easy in foresight to see this selection had more inherent risk attached to it than what it may have seemed. Jersey pic notwithstanding.

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I wonder what other opportunities Danny Flynn will be pursuing now that he's out of the picture in Saint John. For those who may have forgotten, he's pretty decent at that whole general managing thing. Maybe he gets to do that again somewhere. Also, when is the last time all four Memorial Cup coaches are no longer with their respective organizations within two months of the tournament? That might be the new record.

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Sad news in the QMJHL today with the passing of former Quebec Remparts (the old, not as Patrick Roy-ish Remparts) coach and GM Maurice Fillion. Of course, a whole other generation of Q fans and personnel know him as the long time disciplinary prefect of the league. He held the post from 1992-2005, which means for a time in the mid-late 90's, he held a position that was akin to being Jerry Springer without the TV show. For those who may not remember, the Q of 20 years ago was, to put it sort of mildly, a gongshow. Those were the slow nights. The crazier nights were akin to Resevoir Dogs on skates. And Maurice Fillion was the man with the task before him of doling out disciplinary rulings through it all. No wonder they named a trophy after the guy. And in the era when kookiness was at its height, before everyone had email or texting capabilities and submitting tapes meant literally sending a physical VHS cassette to the league office, I can only assume the Q had one hell of a long distance plan and a sweet deal with any number of courier companies. A true legend who as a GM did a job very few could do and in his second incarnation did one hardly anyone would ever want to do, he will be missed. And now, he truly is unavailable for further comment.

Sea of Red

Go Canada Go!

During the first intermission of last night's Canada/Czech Quarterfinal, I listened to the TSN panel theorize as to what went wrong in that first period (incidentally, when's the last time Canada played a truly exciting quarter final game unless it was a very rare situation where they entered the game as the lower seed?). Two things that came up were that the crowd was booing, the other was the crowd itself. Specifically, the crowd that WASN'T watching.

You can draw your own conclusions on the booing. I have no issue with it, personally. Some are of the belief that if you pay that much to watch a game (more on that later), you are entitled to do what you want. I get that, though I've never really applied that theory myself as a spectator. There's also the "they're a bunch of teenagers" school of thought, which I can appreciate as well. Either way, what few fans that were in the stands in Montréal last night booing the team was a non-issue. At worst, it served as an audible kick in the pants. It happens and players of a certain age and beyond know it.

The lack of a crowd might have played a small factor in how the game unfolded early on but I'm not bringing it up here in relation to gameplay good bad or otherwise. I bring it up because this tournament should not be held in that damned rink to begin with. Nor should it be in Toronto. Or Vancouver in 2019. Obviously, these locales are drawing the assignment of host team because of any number of factors related to city size, arena size, potential revenue generated, etc. But is there a lack of perspective behind this rationale?

Personally, I think a lot of people involved with this tournament and others on the outside saw this coming a mile away. A year ago Thursday, the President of the IIHF publicly critiqued the organizing committee regarding high ticket prices. The decision to hold the tournament in the same two (large) venues two out of three years has been debated since it came to be known.

All of this belies a simple truth... Toronto and Montréal are no longer "junior hockey towns". At least not in the sense of what a "junior hockey town" is in this day and age. Yes, the Memorial Cup being held at Maple Leaf Gardens used to be an almost annual rite of passage. So were Maple Leaf Stanley Cup parades, too. And smoking in arenas. And goalies without masks and players without helmets. I just finished reading the book "In the Pressure of the Moment", an outstanding biography of little heralded Montréal Canadians goaltender Gerry McNeil written by McNeil's son David. He mentions how Gerry's senior team would sometimes sell out the Forum. All well and good... but also events that occurred more than sixty years ago. Sixty years ago, you could get into the Forum for an NHL game for about the price of a cup of coffee today. A small coffee.

It's a whole new ballgame now. With the entertainment options available in those areas, changes in lifestyle and inflation when it comes to... well, everything, sustaining a high level of attendance for anything sporting related save the Leafs and Habs is a daunting task. Ask the Toronto St. Mike's Majors. Or the Mississauga Majors. Or the Montréal Rocket. Or the Montréal Junior. Or the Laval Titan. And that's not even close to the full list of relocated/defunct junior teams I could draw from. To expect these two cities - wonderful places that they are - to support this type of tournament two out of three years at the prices being asked was asking too much.

Unfortunately, all signs point to this occurring in Vancouver in two years time. Vancouver... where their latest WHL team, founded in part by a hockey legend and less than a decade removed from a Memorial Cup victory, saw their attendance dwindle to the point where they now literally are making a go of it in the suburbs. And can anyone see ticket prices dropping? Remember... this is Vancouver. Just do a Google search for cost of living in Vancouver. There's not enough time here.

I'm not wishing for the World Juniors to go to Val d'Or or Owen Sound or Prince Albert. Again, perspective. But is it too much to ask for Sherbrooke or London or Regina? Want to try a good junior town in the states? Let's see Portland, Oregon or Everett, Washington put in a bid. Decent sized buildings that have for the most part hosted successful events in the past and should be able to put a fair number of bodies in the rink even for non-Canada (or non-US) games. Not to mention fans that will still pay a premium (just not the "Montréal/Toronto leave your credit cards at the door" premium) to get in the building. Somewhere along the line the bottom line blurred the line between revenue and event experience. And with a tournament that should be a lead pipe cinch to succeed wildly in this country whenever it hosts, something has gone horribly off the rails.

So it's a semi-final date with the Swedes tomorrow night. I'll be watching. Many others in the city where it's being held won't. Personally, if I could watch the game without the Nike ads, it would almost be worth it.

... So as I Was Saying...

Thought I forgot about this place, didn't you? Well, yeah I did. But that's neither here nor there.

It's been over three and a half years since I have written anything here. I had my reasons for moving on. Busier schedule, taking on of new positions within the hockey/broadcasting realm, life in general... it all added up. Some of the things that kept me away are still very much in the forefront, others have become less prevalent. One thing that has been constant has been the number of views on this site. People still read this according to the figures and there have been a few people over the past couple of years who have asked why it no longer gets updated (admittedly, one of those "people" may have been my dog but I digress). Bottom line, I enjoyed it then and I think it's time to get started up once again. I don't know how often I'll be writing but when the mood strikes, I'll throw a few lines in here and see where it leads.

In June, 2016, I moved to Halifax. Home of the Mooseheads, of course. You know how some teams have to basically be held at gunpoint to embark on a rebuilding plan of any sort? The Moose are not like that (anymore). The result is a fun to watch, young team that has had a few long nights (and will have a few more ahead) but can honestly saying they are building towards a greater good. As a neutral observer (unlike some people, I actually took that "no cheering from the press box" thing seriously and still do) just looking for a good game to watch, the Mooseheads, even when they make things hard on themselves (and lately that's been happening a bit more) at least give you a good game most of the time. They will give people an even better game in the years ahead.

Speaking of the Mooseheads, I remember going to games in September and wondering how long it would take Nico Hischier to adapt to the Q. I remember that only vaguely, because now the question has become both "What is he going to do next" and "How long will he be in the Q, anyway?". As of 30 minutes ago, he just about played an instrumental role in taking down Boston University (aka Team USA) and was a frank reminder that, at this level, even when it's a best on best tournament, sometimes it's all about beating one or two guys. I remember the playoff series between the Wildcats and Mooseheads in 2015 (mostly because the one game I covered for it was actually played in Fredericton... how's the new rink coming along Moncton?) and the underlying story being that if the superior (on paper) Wildcats were to advance, they of course had to beat the Moose... but really, they had to stop two guys; Nikolaj Ehlers and Timo Meier. They almost didn't do it. That's what one or two people can do for a team at this level. Sure, a team needs that clichéd "player 1 through player 20 effort" to win in general but make no mistake... sometimes players one and two make a hell of a lot more impact when they're a particularly big fish in a relatively smaller pond. Especially in a short series or tournament. The Mooseheads know this all too well (and are suffering in part because of it as of late). Team Switzerland came within a big Team USA save late from making the semis because of it.

All that being said, this tournament should be a six team event. We all love the Cinderella Danes and the Swiss did give it a good go... but there are still more ugly games than classics during the WJC. Until we can say otherwise, that means there's too many teams. Maybe it's time for Team Europe Jr?

How about that Team Canada? Yeah, the junior kids are great... but I'm talking about the Spengler Cup! Now THAT is an interesting tournament. There truly is nothing like it. From the Valiant Arena to Davos Head Coach Arno Del Curto (who is my vote for Most Interesting Man in the World) to the glory that is Doug Honegger... how can you not love the Spengler? We all know it takes nothing short of moving mountains for Vic Rauter to temporarily step aside from the cutthroat world of curling broadcasting to get on board. That's the power of the Spengler.


Glad we got the annual "Chicago Blackhawks play in an outdoor game" thing out of the way for another year. If you find out this summer that the roof is being removed from the United Center, just try and act surprised.

So the Columbus Blue Jackets are the best team in the NHL... thanks to the third longest winning streak is league history... under the coaching of John Tortorella. Most absurd thing ever written in this blog, right there. And just another chapter for Torts, whose entire coaching career has been built on absurdity.

Finally, if you're looking for a good read, pick up The Battle of Alberta by Mark Spector. Outstanding look at the Oilers/Flames rivalry of the '80's. Between commentary from players, coaches, media members and a rather ummmm.... special exchange between Glenn Anderson and Nick Fotiu, the book will make you look at the rivalry in ways you never would've imagined before.