• Could banged-up Colorado be in the market for a centre?
• How much patience does Rangers ownership have?
• Why Canadiens fans, players love Arber Xhekaj
Tara Chisholm remembers her first night of para hockey.
“Walking into the dressing room,” she said Wednesday night, “I saw crutches, wheelchairs and prosthetic legs mixed-in with hockey equipment. I thought, ‘Oh, this is different.’ But once you get on the ice, you realize these are hockey players, athletes. They’re like everyone else. They want to get better, to push themselves, to win.”
That was 2008. Chisholm, as part of her studies at the University of Alberta, was mentored by women’s hockey coach Howie Draper. By that time, Draper led the Pandas to six of their eight national championships.
“I was looking for something else to do in the evenings,” Chisholm said. “I saw an opportunity to volunteer with wheelchair floor hockey. The word ‘hockey’ was enough for me. When I called, they asked if I could skate.”
Chisholm played under-18 triple-A in her native Medicine Hat, so the answer was yes. That conversation — 15 years ago — changed her life, both on and off the ice. On the journey, she met husband Derek Whitson, who won three medals representing Canada in international para hockey competition (including a World Championship gold and bronze at the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games).
In 2013, while attending a summer tournament in London, Ont., Chisholm was introduced to members of the Canadian women’s para team. They were looking for additional coaching help.
“I went out to push pucks in August, and a few months later the coach asked, ‘Do you want to take over? You’re perfect for this, what they need,’” she said. “You learn so much. Someone with a brain injury is different than someone with a spinal cord injury. You learn to coach each athlete a different way.”
Whitson became her assistant coach, and his familiarity from the men’s team opened doors.
“At my first international competition,” Chisholm said, “the officials came to shake our hands and go over the basics, but they were (addressing) Derek. He said, ‘You’re talking to the wrong person. That’s who you talk to, the head coach.’”
She laughs.
“I run the defence, he runs the forwards, and we stay out of each other’s way.”
It’s been a long road for this program, which receives zero Hockey Canada funding (that’s a column for another day). The inaugural all-female international para game was played in 2007. There’ve been several short series against the American team, before an enormous breakthrough last summer with the first ever Para Women’s World Challenge. The U.S. won the gold 5-1 over the Canadians in an event that also featured Great Britain and a “Team World.” The bid process for the 2023 event is underway.
Canada’s players and coaches pay their own way to these events. On Tuesday, the team issued an open letter and launched “Sticks In,” a campaign to raise $1 million from corporate Canada to fund the Women’s National Para Program for the first time ever. (The website is here.)
“We want to give these players something they’ve never experienced: to come to try out and not be worried how they are going to be able to afford to be in the team. Lots of players have left because it’s not financially viable for them.”
I do not like to preach, but this is personal. A relative recently was invited to make his Special Olympics debut, a thrilling moment for him and his family. There is some out-of-pocket expense; that’s expected. It’s ridiculous, however, that there’s zero help for Chisholm’s players. Zero.
Earlier Tuesday, Marie-Philip Poulin became the first women’s hockey player to win the distinguished Northern Star Award as Canada’s athlete of the year. Here’s another opportunity to make a difference and move the line.
“The time is long overdue,” Chisholm said. “Hockey is supposed to be a game for everyone, including women with disabilities.”
THOUGHTS
1. Incredible five-goal performance on Wednesday from Tage Thompson in Buffalo’s 9-4 victory over Columbus. His fifth came with 24 minutes to go, but, with hockey fans clamouring for Thompson to go for the record of seven, he played just 3:55 of the third period. For the night, his ice-time was 13:56, four-and-a-half minutes below his average.
It reminded a bit of Connor McDavid, who was in striking distance of Darryl Sittler’s 10-point game on Nov. 14, 2019, against Colorado. McDavid had six points through 40 minutes in a 6-2 win, then took four shifts in the third. “The great and the bad part about it is you have a night like this, but tomorrow is a new day,” he told reporters. “You can’t be satisfied.” Not surprising that Craig Anderson recently called Thompson arguably the hardest-working Sabre both in games and in practices.
2. Quote of the week: “We’d all like to make a (bleeping) trade,” one GM said. “But there’s no room to do it.”
3. Team I wonder about for Brock Boeser: Washington. This is a personal opinion, but I wonder if a Boeser-Anthony Mantha move makes any sense for both. The Capitals need a jolt and, as GM Brian MacLellan said last weekend, can’t do anything financially lopsided until there’s clarity on Nicklas Backstrom’s availability. Mantha’s cap hit is slightly lower than Boeser’s, and he’s got one fewer year — which would appeal to Vancouver. Anyway, just an idea.
4. Obviously, the Canucks are a team to watch. I despise dealing in absolutes, because I’ve learned negotiations can change out of nowhere (see: J.T. Miller), but it’s not trending well for a Bo Horvat extension. I suspect contenders eventually will be making strong offers for Luke Schenn, too. There’s too much to like about what he brings for $900,000. We’ll see where else it goes, and Jim Rutherford is not one to rush. He’ll let the market percolate until February, if necessary. (Trade deadline is March 3.)
5. Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake is on-record as saying he wants to extend Trevor Moore, a pending UFA. Think that one is getting closer. Moore has carved a place there.
6. Do believe Colorado is going to make a big push for a centre, but not convinced it will be now. All their injured players are coming back, so they’ll sort out the cap situation first.
7. In Wednesday’s 4-0 loss to Boston, Cal Burke became the 23rd forward to dress for the Avalanche in 2022-23. That’s the same number of forwards they used all of last season. According to the great people at Sportsnet Stats, the NHL record for most forwards used in one year is 38 — by the 1991-92 Bruins. The list: Scott Arniel, Brent Ashton, Ralph Barahona, Andy Brickley, John Byce, Lyndon Byers, Bob Carpenter, Lou Crawford, Brian Dobbin, Clark Donatelli, Ted Donato, Peter Douris, Matt Glennon, Steve Heinze, Ken Hodge, Brent Hughes, Craig Janney, Joe Juneau, Jeff Lazaro, Stephen Leach, Nevin Markwart, Glen Murray, Cam Neely, Chris Nilan, Adam Oates, Barry Pederson, Dave Poulin, Dave Reid, Vladimir Ruzicka, Petri Skriko, Shayne Stevenson, Allan Stewart, Jozef Stumpel, Bob Sweeney, Dave Thomlinson, Jim Vesey, Wes Walz and Chris Winnes.
8. Couple executives said they took notice of the last thing Erik Karlsson said last weekend in his Hockey Night in Canada pregame interview: “I’ve got lots of years left in me, guys.” It wasn’t only that the said it, but the way he said it: Making a point of adding that comment while taking off the headset, when it looked like the conversation had concluded. Karlsson said he wants to win, that as a child, “I use to cry after every loss,” before adding, “I don’t do that any more,” which was pretty funny.
9. Toronto is very much in the 2024 All-Star Game conversation.
10. A fan code of conduct is on the agenda for the upcoming Board of Governors meeting. It was inevitable the night New Jersey’s win streak ended against Toronto, when the ice was pelted after three disallowed goals.
11. As per Jeff Marek, Canada’s Spengler Cup entry asked Joe Thornton if he wished to play. Good idea, knowing his connections to Switzerland, but the offer was declined.
12. Huge back-to-back wins for the Rangers over St. Louis and in Vegas. GM Chris Drury is preaching patience, but the worry is more about the owner’s confidence level, not the GM’s. Jacob Trouba flung his helmet and demanded more from his teammates after fighting during last Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Chicago, his second scrap in two nights. It’s suspected Trouba is either nursing something — or recovering from something — that shouldn’t have him throwing punches. It shows the level of desperation in Manhattan.
13. Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, before last Saturday’s 4-3 overtime win against Toronto: “It seems to me (in the past), the Leafs, they’d rather have a 5-4, 6-5 game. I look at a team now that is completely content playing a 2-1 game. I’ve gone through that … I understand we’re not even one-third of the way through the season, but if they’re going to play like this, it bodes well for them come springtime.”
14. Similarities between Auston Matthews and Jason Robertson heading into Toronto’s 4-0 win in Dallas on Tuesday. Most of their goals this season are scored top-left corner (high-blocker on a left-catching goalie), with nine for Robertson and six for Matthews. (Robertson also has six to the top-right corner and five bottom left. He spreads it out.) They also have a similar shot breakdown: Matthews 56 wrist shots, 18 slappers, 17 snappers and 11 backhands. For Robertson, it’s 61, 13, 17 and seven.
15. We’re preparing a feature on Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj, and what really stood out is how the other Canadiens spoke about him. The fans love the physical play, but the team went out of its way to praise almost everything else. Head coach Martin St. Louis: “He can break out the puck, it allows us to play with possession and transition through the neutral zone. Can he go off the glass? Absolutely, but he’s got high intelligence with a good skillset that allows him to do what his brain is telling him to do. His brain’s pretty creative.”
St. Louis credited Xhekaj with adjusting his shot after it wasn’t getting through earlier in the season, saying the defenceman has a “nice little snapper … heavy, comes off his blade quick.” Brendan Gallagher said the veterans heard about the fights from rookie camp, but added, “If you can do that, but can’t play the game, you’re not going to last very long. There’s only so many guys in the league who can do what he does, but in order to do that, there’s so much more that has to go into your game. He’s able to do that to play at this level.”
It meant a lot to Xhekaj. “It’s pretty special to hear that,” he said. “Everyone always used to say when I was younger that, ‘You’re a goon, you’re a goon,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m not a goon. I’ve got good hands, I make pretty good breakout passes … I’ve got a pretty good shot from the point.’ I’ve always known.” He said it meant a lot to him that he’s seen some second power-play time, because it never really happened before.
16. True to form, Gallagher couldn’t give too many compliments without a verbal jab, saying Montreal’s rookies are not very bright. Who’s the least brightest? “All of them.”
17. During the trip through Western Canada, Kaiden Guhle visited WHL Edmonton GM Kirt Hill and coach Luke Pierce, who acquired him last December. “He told us the thing that surprised him the most was how much fun Martin St. Louis makes it,” Hill said. I thought about that after St. Louis refused to freak out following Monday’s 7-6 collapse in Vancouver. The Canadiens recovered by winning the next night in Seattle. Can’t be a coincidence.
18. Canadiens fans wonder about Cole Caufield’s next contract, but I don’t think the organization will do it in-season if there’s any concern such conversations would weigh on him.
19. Also taped a podcast interview with Todd McLellan on Wednesday. One of the topics was the NHL’s scoring explosion, as league save percentage is on-pace to be the lowest in 16 years. My theory is that the NHL’s crackdowns on obstruction, goalie equipment, slashing and cross-checking combined with more skill than ever throughout a lineup have made it much, much harder to defend. (I don’t think too many people are complaining about it, either.)
McLellan agreed with that, but took it one step further — that it’s these great shooters and passers have found and can exploit the weaknesses in the ways goalies are taught to play. He wonders if there are going to have to be new approaches in dealing with this generation of skater. Thought it was really interesting. Interview drops next week.
20. Also with goalies: One GM said that he has no problem with blowing a play dead should a mask be knocked off, as Connor Hellebuyck’s was in the fateful game against Dallas. But he added that since the Jets goalie was down on the ice for a bit, he should be forced to leave the game to be examined for a concussion.
21. All the best to Jakub Voracek, who said this week it is possible concussion concerns will keep him out the rest of this season. The priority, obviously, is his health, both now and for years to come. But it would be a shame for both reporters and fans to lose access to one of the game’s great characters.
You knew when you came across the Flyers or Blue Jackets, you were getting great stories from him or about him. One of those moments was when then-teammate Wayne Simmonds referred to Voracek as “a slob,” which the latter gleefully confirmed as other Flyers howled. I wish I could remember the other Philly player who wondered why reporters would even bother talking to him after that exchange, claiming something like: “Nothing I could give you is better than that.”
Looking for more 32 Thoughts? Check Sportsnet.ca for more later in the week, when Elliotte Friedman shares the latest.