A Tale of Two Teams
This is going to be one of those “light” articles.
Hockey’s regular season is coming to an end. I have had some recent disappointments, as the seasons for my favoured teams have come to a premature end. In both cases, their seasons ended before the playoffs began.
I’ll start with the Portland Winterhawks, the Junior A team in my current community. I have enjoyed watching Western Hockey League games in many towns where I have lived over the years and I know full well that you take your chances in rooting for “your team” in any given year. these are all 16-to-20-year-old kids out there playing, about the highest level that kids of this age can attain. The kids are chosen for teams by being placed on a list by scouts for one or another team, often years before they turn 16. this makes it very possible that a team will have some great years at times and some not-so-great teams in other years. Despite the three Memorial Cup banners hanging from their rafters, this was a not-so-great year for the Winterhawks.
I have always gone to the Junior games rooting for the home team, that’s just what you do. But I’m really there just to watch a bunch of great kids play a great game. So I’m not really rooting against the visiting team. It’s just nice to enjoy the game featuring a bunch of guys hoping to make it to the pros someday.
All of that leads up to the fact that the home team Winterhawks only managed 11 wins this season and lost 19 of the last 21 games to end the season. That is unfortunate, but it did not keep me from attending games or following the team. At this level, for the fans, it’s not about who wins or loses, its about being at a game, seeing some action, eating junk food, singing along with the national anthems, and that kind of stuff. It’s about explaining to the people behind me (who have never been to a hockey game before) enough about what is going on so they can enjoy themselves. It’s about a night out and having fun.
I don’t have the same sentiments for the NHL team I follow, the Vancouver Canucks. Of course, attending one of their games is also a very enjoyable experience. But this is a group of well-paid professional players that I expect to win when I root for them. sadly, the team managed to lose seven of their last eight games and miss the playoffs for another year.
These Canucks started out the year looking so very good on paper. Yes, they suffered some injuries among their players, which didn’t assist them in living up to their potential this year. I do enjoy watching this group of players, but I feel right now that if this is the best performance that some of them can muster, then this is a good time for the team to make some needed trades.
In my mind, the junior version of this game is enjoyable whether the home team wins or loses.
The Canucks should have found it within themselves to win. They didn’t really try. It’s time to make some trades.
Besides, this isn’t the first time in recent history that my teams have forced me to choose a “backup” team to root for in the payoffs. So here it goes. Go Vancouver Giants! and Go Calgary Flames!
Gotta keep the season alive somehow.
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