Today, Friday June 25, 2010 may be just another day for you, and me, but for Prince George Cougars forward Brett Connolly, it will be special and significant.

Tonight, in Los Angeles at the NHL entry draft, the 18-year-old P.G. native will be picked in the first round, most likely in the top 10.

"To get my name called by an NHL team is a dream come true. My family and I are just ecstatic right now. This is the biggest moment of my life. It's going to determine my future and what city I am going to play in, so I am looking forward to having my name called,” said Connolly.

If one surfs, the internet consensus indicates that Connolly will be picked as high as third overall by Florida or as late as ninth by Minnesota. If he were selected in the top four, he would become the highest pick ever for a P.G. Cougar. Eric Brewer went 5th overall to the NY Islanders in 1997.

"I try to stay off the internet (regarding mock drafts). I just think it is a distraction. At the end of the day, there is nothing I can do. I mean whatever happens, happens and I will be happy to go to whatever team chooses me," stated an enthusiastic Connolly, who is ranked third among all North American skaters by Central Scouting.

Edmonton and Boston have the first two picks. The Oilers and Bruins are expected to take Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, the order still a mystery. Barring any last minute deal, which is a distinct possibility, Florida has the third pick followed by Columbus, the NY Islanders, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Atlanta and Minnesota.

 

"I went down to Minnesota and they are picking 9th, so I think that is where I would stop. I have been hearing a lot of rumors about teams trading up. There is a lot that can happen on draft day. It is going to be a lot of fun," said Connolly.

The chances of Connolly being available at number nine are small, especially since Tampa Bay who picks in the sixth spot has shown considerable interest.

"They drafted a defenceman last year (Victor Hedman) and this year they may be looking at a forward," stated Connolly who insists it doesn't matter where in the top ten he ends up. "At the end of the day I am going to be a first round pick and a good guy that some franchise is going to want to build around. I am just looking forward to getting selected to a team that believes in what I can do."

The calendar may show that Good Friday was in April this year. For Brett Connolly, today more than any other, certainly will be a very Good Friday indeed.


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I am sure goaltenders, Carey Price and Chris Mason, have different perspectives on the Jaroslav Halak trade to St Louis. The Montreal Canadiens surprisingly dealt their top playoff performer to the Blues for prospect forwards Lars Eller (a first round 2007 draft pick) and Calgary Hitmen’s Ian Schultz.

 

Obviously, salary issues played a big part in the Canadiens making this choice. Price, from Anahim Lake/Williams Lake, must be pleased because now he is "the guy" in the net in Montreal, although I wonder if he will be able to handle the extra pressure that comes with job. It is well documented that the fans in Montreal will be critical following a couple of bad games or even bad goals.

 

Mentally, Price, who turns 23 August 16th, must learn to block out bad memories, most notably when he was booed by his hometown fans in a March 31st 2-1 loss to Carolina after being named the game's third star.

 

The good news is he no longer has to battle Halak for ice time. However, the bad news is that he may find it challenging to live up to the standard that the 25 year-old Slovak set in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Mason must be discouraged with this deal, although my guess is the classy Red Deer native would never say this publicly. Mason was the Blues number one netminder the past two seasons, but that status is about to change. It appears that St Louis will trade the 34-year-old former P.G. Cougar, or at the very least, his role may be reduced to back up. It may be the reality of pro sports where seldom is a job safe, but still the ego takes a hit. In Mason's situation, I am sure he is feeling a case of the Blues.

 

 

Christina Aguilera sang the National Anthem at Game 6 of the NBA Championship. Apparently, the U.S. has found its own version of the vuvuzela. 

Comedy writer Jim Barach of WCHS-TV in Charleston, W.Va (http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.com/) 

Some disturbing news, as Paris Hilton was reportedly arrested over the weekend for flashing her vuvuzela in public.

So fans thronged the streets of Los Angeles Monday, as the Lakers celebrated their 16th NBA championship. Not to be outdone, some Clippers fans gathered at a local Bob's Big Boy to reminisce about the team's really crisp shoot around on February 18.

Comedy writer Marc Ragovin of New York

 

Following the LA Lakers NBA championship game, a mob set a taxi cab on fire. I have three questions; who are these people, why do they do this, and how did they find the only taxi in LA?

In Spivey's Corner, NC, the new winner of the National Hollerin' Contest has been crowned.
While ranking high on the "irritation scale", he still falls just below 50,000 simultaneously blown vuvuzelas.

 

Florida Marlins' management said that their free mini-vuvuzela giveaway for their game against the Rays was a success. Players on both teams, however, say it was the worst sound they had heard in a ballpark since Roseanne Barr sang the national anthem.. 

Poor Dustin Johnson, the Saturday leader, shot 11 over par in the final round of the U.S. Open. That’s the worst performance by a professional athlete on Sunday in recent memory. Well, not involving JaMarcus Russell.

So Graeme McDowell ended a 40-year European drought at the U.S. Open. And the Blackhawks just ended a 48 year Stanley Cup drought of their own. So maybe there's hope for the Leafs...? Well, let's not get carried away.


Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California (www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com)

 

The US Government was investigating a report of people seeing a Sasquatch but were able to say the mystery is solved and now that the Stanley Cup playoffs are over Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Hartnell says he will shave.

Pat Quinn got a promotion from the Edmonton Oilers from Head Coach to special assistant. This is like the CEO of BP getting a promotion from managing the Gulf oil crisis to cleaning off pelicans

The Calgary Flames are getting set for the upcoming NHL entry draft or as they are calling it Passover.

Contributor Derek Wilken of Calgary (http://smacksport.blogspot.com/)

 

On Thursday, Queen Elizabeth II made her first Wimbledon appearance in over 30 years. The last time she was there, she threw out the first ball that started the match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut.

 

Bud Selig has announced that Kansas City will host the 2012 MLB All-Star Game. Isn't that like staging the Grammys at William Hung's house?

 

The Jets have unveiled a new wine to help fans celebrate the opening of the New Meadowlands Stadium and have called it Jets Uncorked. Given the rowdiness of some Jets fans, wouldn't it be more appropriate to call it Jets Unscrewed?

Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

 

NY Jets star defensive back Darrelle Revis showed up his coach Rex Ryan - his biggest booster - by feigning injury and light-headed ness during practice. Which made Revis a Butt-Head.

 

Ferrari Driver Academy signed 11-year-old Montrealer Lance Stroll, winner of several Canadian karting titles, making him the youngest driver ever to wear the Ferrari logo. In other words, it was the kart before the horse.

 

A deluxe toilet rumoured to have been stolen en route to Diego Maradona's World Cup suite has been found. Officials expect an arrest soon now that they have something to go on.

England and Ghana banned their players from having sex during the World Cup. Which, come to think of it, might be the first time anyone figured there's too much scoring in soccer.


Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sidelinechatter/

 

Hartley Miller is the sports director for radio stations 94X and the Wolf@97fm. He also writes for the PG Free Press. Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to hmiller@94xfm.com.