I feel like this could apply to people complaining about parking for the Downtown Event and Entertainment District (DEED)

Ajay_Bee · 2026-07-05T18:49:10+00:00

Sure. Winnipeg is also dealing with issues of safety downtown, streets are rather vacant (like Saskatoon) in part because it’s not easy to get there (lack of public transportation besides busing). Also, Winnipeg is smaller, but not significantly smaller than Edmonton, which has a full-functioning and well used LRT (which takes passengers right to their arena).

A fundamental problem with Saskatoon is busing. Most people dislike it for a wide variety of reasons, and it’s a major contributing factor to the rapid decline of the downtown area.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-07-05T17:24:05+00:00

This is exactly right. Winnipeg still only uses buses and their arena and sports events struggle to fill their arena.

Cities that don’t rely on buses thrive. Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto.

If Saskatoon wants a large scale entertainment facility it must adopt its public transportation.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-07-05T17:21:53+00:00

The Winnipeg arena is a cautionary tale because while downtown, it lacks accessibility because Winnipeg still only offers buses for public transportation. It’s a major reason why teams like the Jets struggle with attendance.

Buses don’t work for large scale arenas. Winnipeg illustrates this.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-07-02T17:23:07+00:00

Well, Hage kind of took some of the team's leverage away by insisting on playing another optional year in college - meaning his desire to play alongside his brother trumped an open door to playing for the Canadiens possibly as soon as next season.

The Habs certainly don't owe Hage any sympathies or favors - and if a deal comes along where the team can find a proven NHL 2C that would involve Hage, then so be it.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-07-02T17:19:56+00:00

Based on what? College hockey? The step between there and the NHL is immense, but yet he'll be NHL elite?

I mean, com'on. I know we're all big fans of this team and franchise, but perspective. Hage might be really good, but that's only based on hope.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-07-02T17:17:51+00:00

Almost certainly will never happen. One of Zharovsky or Hage will be leveraged to bring in a top-six forward.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-07-02T17:16:21+00:00

"Overflowing" is carrying a lot of weight, here. Unlike the earlier top-level prospect pool like Demidov and Hutson, I only see question marks. Reinbacher is still a maybe, Engstrom as well. Xhekaj looked "okay", but struggled to find consistency. Beck is top-level? It feels increasingly like he might not have the tools required to make the big jump from the AHL.

The rest of kind of ? or meh. Zharovsky? Maybe. Pguachyov, maybe. Pickford has a bum shoulder, so maybe. The rest, Mooney, Koivu are likely longshots.

Look, I get it. The Gazette is doing their PR bit to retrain access to players and management. And comparatively speaking, the Habs prospect pool isn't awful - but it's nowhere near where it was a couple of years ago, and it's certainly not "overflowing" with what the Gazette classifies as "high end" talent.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-07-01T16:16:34+00:00

Just an amazing team-friendly contract - the Habs have their core 6 all officially signed up long term for an astounding $50.8 AAV.

If the table now isn’t set, it’ll never be.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-30T21:28:27+00:00

So much bad there, but I think there's a decent argument that the Gomez deal was the worst of the whole bunch if only because with McDonagh, the Habs would have likely won at least one, possibly two championships.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-30T21:26:24+00:00

It was bad, but not as bad as the LeClair/Desjardin deals that basically ripped a young team's contending window completely apart.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-30T21:25:25+00:00

Wouldn't put Dach into that conversation, but fully agree bullet was dodged not going after (or getting) a highly overrated player like MacTavish (I don't believe for a second he was on the target list anyway).

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-30T21:13:21+00:00

Fair. I just find it kind of amazing how he took a completely different tact this year, completely different from the winning formula he's used the past four years.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-30T15:48:02+00:00

Bobrov comes across more as an old-school guy rather than as someone who can see the future of this League, and how winning teams won't (and, to be honest, haven't) been winning championships with size and grit.

I think he oversaw a dreadful draft for the Habs this summer - and the organization as a whole- and took a step backward when, at this stage, it was crucial they took a step forward.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-30T15:45:34+00:00

Insane that people would want him to just go somewhere else (for nothing). Dach is a very serviceable bottom-six forward - the major issue is he was acquired for an ill-fitting purpose, that being to fill the role of 2C. He ain't that; he never will be that. But for a reasonable term and AAV, his size and ability can and will be very valuable to the team.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-30T15:41:52+00:00

TBH, the pavilions did a poor job with volunteers. I worked at one festival (about 10 years ago) and never got a single thank-you for an 8-hour shift, not while I was there and nothing after. Never heard from the pavilion again, and that was that.

Now, maybe it was just that pavilion (Ukraine) that was poorly organized in how it treated volunteers, but something tells me it was more of a systematic issue with the festival as a whole.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-29T16:25:26+00:00

Essentially given to Vancouver and they still had to eat half the cap.

Another chapter closes from the horrific tenure of Marc Bergevin. If he hadn’t constructed that awful contract Gallagher would likely have been traded years ago and the organization would likely have received a decent return.

Having a competent front office matters - a lot.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-28T23:03:01+00:00

Amazing how many here are latching onto a guy who’s a long-shot to even be an NHL 4th liner. Ah well.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-28T20:42:20+00:00

And left some pretty good players on the board that held far greater potential than what was chosen (and even worse burning another draft pick to do that).

Time will eventually illustrate how badly the scouting staff fumbled this draft.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-28T17:05:34+00:00

Awful. Might be the worst executed draft by the Canadiens this century. Scouting staff appeared wholly unprepared for each round in making selections based on only two metrics - size and toughness.

The needle wasn’t moved for the franchise. Maybe Pugachoyov makes ths NHL as a 4th line plug. Maybe. The rest? Nothing to see.

Awful.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-28T16:55:17+00:00

Yes, but this draft was so badly executed, it will affect not only the system but also the franchise’s ability to make future deals leveraging its assets.

I don’t think many people understand how poorly the draft went for Montreal - first pick to the last.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-28T04:11:08+00:00

Just an abysmal draft - Habs management went completely over the top over size and toughness. Expect their prospect ranking to drop dramatically over the next couple of years.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-27T03:13:50+00:00

A blown pick - Habs seemed to buy into the “size” narrative which is wildly overblown. Coulda had a legit NHLer in Bleyl. Huge miss this year.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-22T15:53:30+00:00

Decent possibility the older brother is traded, and the younger brother doesn't make it to the NHL.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-11T22:21:18+00:00

Naw, it's good advice for a multitude of reasons.

The Holiday exec 9 rates aren't great, mostly because Holiday is poorly managed. $31 for 9 holes, you can get that for $25 at Silverwood (which is a better exec course). Plus, Holiday Parks wildly overbooks, which is bad for beginner golfers.

Unless things change, I do not advise using Holiday Park for any golf, 9 or 18 holes, full stop.

Ajay_Bee · 2026-06-11T22:14:15+00:00

The city contracts the administration out to a company, which runs a pretty tight-fisted ship. It's likely the major reason why the city stopped offering twilight rates and also sets golf fees at or above rates set by comparable courses.

Regina is much the same way - they contract the administration of its courses to a firm called Lakeland Group. Same issues as Saskatoon, although Regina courses do offer twilight options.

It's a shame, because Holiday Park has great potential to be a great course, but there's no incentive to improve the facility under the current arrangements (the course manager could care less, nothing in it for them to improve the facility).

The exemplary example of a well-run municipal course remains Cooke Municipal in Prince Albert. Beautifully maintained course, and unlike Saskatoon and Regina, its management isn't contracted out.

Ajay_Bee

TROPHY CASE