It's Official

The Edmonton Oilers are out of the playoffs. Now, since I've been an Oiler fan since I was knee high to a grasshopper I say with some authority that they've been &^%'d since they traded Ryan Smyth (and where is he now? ... talk about a lose-lose situation. (OK, he's in the playoffs but he's at a -3 on the year for crying out loud! He's just another overpaid skater in a hockey helmet). Then there was the entire Oilers/Wayne Gretzky trade mess... Yes ,I know that was like 2 decades ago - give me a break - I'm in Oiler non-playoff-mourning. [And yep! I still have my Jari Kurri #17 (he was THE BEST!) hockey player.] Anyway, now Edmonton has The Kid Line: Cogliano, Gagner and Nilsson so we shall KEEP THE FAITH! 'Til Next Year.

Alas with the beloved Oilers out of the playoffs who am I going to throw my heart and cheering soul behind?

Fine. By default I would usually cheer for the Canucks. We live nearby, blah blah blah. Alas, they royally screwed up their last few games and now the only Western Canadian team left is Calgary.

(I briefly thought about cheering for the Winnipeg Jets, err, Phoenix Coyotes but oh lord, don't get me started on that debacle).

That brings me back to the Calgary Flames. Nope. Can't do it. Even lived in Calgary for awhile. Can't cheer for them. I'm an Oilers fan. I bleed blue (well, green for the Grey Cup Winning Saskatchewan Roughriders but that's football in the summer so let's not confuse the matter). Oilers hate Flames. We extinguish them! So, err, that ends the cheering for the Flames. Ain't going to happen.

Who, in sam heaven, am I going to cheer for during this seemingly endless playoff season that hockey is thoughtful enough to offer?

The Montreal Canadiens? Ha ha ha. Non.
The Ottawa Senators? Really, what kind of a name is Senators? Have you seen a government Senator? OK, I might break down and cheer for them but they are Easterners! Easterners I SAY. Quite frankly, if my neighbours found out I was cheering for the Easterners I'm not sure if they would allow me to remain living here. [Never mind that the latest statistics show 96.3% of the population here is actually from the East ... and never going back - because the West is the Best.]

I digress....
I guess I could cheer for the Dallas Stars since through my MIL's, friends' son we have a connection to the coach and he got us autographs. Way Cool.

Though I've always had a soft spot for Steve Yzerman - which lead to a marginal like of the Detroit Red Wings. Yeah, maybe I'll cheer for them. Chris Chelios still plays for them and he's even older than me! A lot older! But.... they're the team most expected to win the playoffs and you know me - I don't want to be seen as a bandwagon jumper. (OK, sister, you can stop laughing on the floor now.)

The Anaheim Ducks dropped the Mighty part but that's OK because they couldn't use it when they have Chris Pronger as a team member which is the one and only reason necessary to NOT cheer for them.

I suppose I could review the remaining 16 teams but... maybe just maybe... I'll cheer for the Nashville Predators. I've been to Nashville. I liked it. They're a scrappy little team... who will get knocked out in the first round. There goes that idea.

If you are still reading this post - then you must be my parents (parents are great that way) - Hi Mom and Dad! - Anyway, I may offer polite applause for Colorado (well for Ryan Smyth) , Dallas and Detroit but the throat screaming cheers have yet to find a team.

I guess I will consult further with my fellow hockey fan, Tomas "Roloson", when he wakes in the morning. ... because we only have 5 more sleeps until the 2008 NHL Hockey playoffs start!

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Which by the way is the same day that my library is going to open it's doors! Yes, thanks to us rowdy protestors we forced everyone back to the bargaining table and an agreement has been reached.
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UPDATE: At 7:45am my brother-in-law phoned me (and he hadn't even read my blog!). He's a super Oiler fan too and we've consulted with Tomas and agreed to throw our support behind Ryan Smyth.