Yes it would seem that Mississauga now has awoken, just in time for Christmas. They are still in the running for the "Brett Ladds Cup" since Streetsville has a game in hand which they play today and a win could drop the Chargers back down to the bottom of the MacKinnon. No question that Jay and the team will be making the trip to the wilds of Westwood to cheer on the Derbys!
Stouffville is really making a play since they already have 35 games behind them. Their 15 points must seem like a nice cushion to Villanova and Streetsville but Upper Canada has 2 games in hand and the rest of pot stickers have 3 or 4 games to lose before these numbers are set in mud.
Villanova beat Collingwood so the bottom of the barrel is really tightening up with:
Rumour has it that this years OJHL Brett Ladds Cup Champion will take on the best-loser from the CJHL, SIJHL and the NOJHL in the "Limited Confrontation for Ontario". No details yet and likely untrue, but here are the skills deprived teams we'd likely see from the rest of Jr A Leagues around the province.
The Hawkesbury Hawks (who'd of guessed that nickname?) of the CJHL posting a 3W 27L for 9 pts after 33 anthems. After many years of making a real run and winning that other cup for winning, it's refreshing for their fans to see such an effort being made for their "Laddie".
Leading the nomination for the NOJHL are the Manitoulin Islanders with an impressive 2W 25L 1T record for 5 pts! The Isle's have let in 187 goals in only 28 games so they have a thing or two to teach us about where to set the bar. Assuming 5 seconds per "on" goal light for each goal, the light has been lit behind their tenders for over 15 minutes this season!
But it's the SIJHL's Sioux Lookout Flyers who know how to get 'er done. Their numbers are most impressive PROVINCE WIDE with 0 wins, 25L and 1 OTL for a outstanding .019 pct!!! They have pride in Lookout territory where they have no shame in still charging $10 admission for adults and $8 for seniors to watch their team get a nightly shalacking. With 24 more games to go, one has to wonder what you could buy with $240.00 that would bring you some joy in your life in Sioux Lookout, Ontario where they predict -43 Celsius with wind chill tomorrow?
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if the knights do finish at the bottom again this season, maybe they should play these teams in a round robin. it would be good to play past february 10 for a change. i wonder how many people would come out?
mg
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I agree MG that it would at least give these teams a chance to play at the level that they are competitive at and not be the whipping boys of their respective leagues.
Of course (same old tune coming) it would be equally challenging if the bottom 8 teams in the OJHL from this year played in the OJHL Tier 3 divions with the winner getting a birth into Tier 2 the following season,replaced by the bottom team there.
Until that day, we will always have the BLC to keep the Derbys, Knights and other such consistant teams in the medals.
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I don't know how much fun it would be or how good the hockey would be but, it is a shame that the boys work so hard and and then the season ends in February. Hockey in this province at this level needs to fundamentally change and this would be a great start.
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I agree that it needs to change, but that's unlikely with so many For-Profit Hockey Schools, Tournaments and personalized instructors making some of their best money filling the gap for players in this situation.
Before the advent of Summer or year round ice, this was a real problem for the player that wanted to improve.
Now all that you need is a huge wallet for the "second season"
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The problem in all of this is the "suggestion" that is implied by naming this tournament the Brett Ladds Cup! I wonder EXACTLY what DerbyDawg is implying here? (teehee). If it's what is suggested then isn't that a little unfair to the players who are working their asses off?
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Yea it wouldn't be a pleasant thing for the players under the current situation but then neither is ignoring the problems with the current situation.
How much fun has it been to play on Villa Nova or Streetsville the past two years? Neither team is good enough to be playing the top half of the league so maybe somebody out there can give me a good reason why they are playing in the same league?
Constantly failing to be competative doesn't help with fans or volunteers.
I can't stand by and not comment and the BLC is my personal protest...hopefully one day, they will listen.
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The BLC is a great idea for teams who do not make the playoffs.
Unfortunately, no one from the CD would be in the BLC as they all make the playoffs. This is too bad as Stouffville would be a front runner to take the cup.
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