Monday musings

Idle thoughts while I sit here waiting for my newspaper (two hours late, and counting):

• Have you caught any of the action at the World Junior Hockey tournament yet? If not, you really should!
• I've had the pleasure (misfortune?) of calling a couple games with Mitchell Blair for an internet broadcasting outfit from Boston. Mitch and I have become fans of the plucky Austrian team.
• Team Austria is 0-2, doesn't have a single NHL draft pick on its roster, yet is winning fans over with spirited play and a "never say die" attitude. Well done, boys!
• Russia and Sweden both look good. Swedish defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the real deal. Phoenix did very well to select him with the 6th pick of last year's draft. He skates like Orr and shoots like Hull. He's a keeper.
• I can see why Russian captain Nikita Filatov causes so much angst in Columbus. The Blue Jackets prospect is exceptionally talented, but his work ethic leaves a LOT to be desired.
• Meantime, Team Canada opens the tournament with a 16-0 shellacking of Latvia.
  
• Hands-up everyone outside of Quebec who had heard of Gabriel Bourque before that game. After his seven point performance, everyone is starting to think the Nashville Predators got a heck of a player with their 5th round selection in this year's draft.

In other news...

• Despite soiling the sheets against Pittsburgh last week, the Green Bay Packers clinched a playoff berth with a 48-10 victory over Seattle yesterday.
• What the heck has happened to the Seahawks? Weren't they in the Super Bowl just four years ago? Yikes.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs lose in overtime to the godless Canadians one night, then beat the defending Cup champs the next night. Go figure.
• Only two more days, and Canadians can start second guessing the picks Steve Yzerman and friends made for the Canadian Olympic hockey team.
• After watching him play a couple of times, I think Kings defenceman Drew Doughty deserves to be on that team. But he'll be in tough to crack what should be a very deep and talented blueline corps.
• Time to get back on the treadmill. All those perogies over the past week are catching up to me!