Has there been a less competitive Memorial Cup Championship ?
I’m sure the organizing committee in Brandon did everything they could to make the 2010 Cup a great experience.
But I think if the organizing committee had of entered a team in the Championship, they might have fared just as well as Moncton, Calgary and the host Wheat Kings did.
I’m well aware that Windsor had a terrific team and should be given full credit for their back to back championship, but if I’m the Canadian Hockey League, or the guy within the CHL who has to entice major corporate sponsors to support the tournament, I’m not sleeping well.
Of the 8 games played in the Championship at Brandon, how many were good ones ?
The 5-4 Wheat King win in overtime against their Western rivals from Calgary in the semifinal game certainly qualifies.
The other 7, not so much.
Moncton blew their opener to Calgary in what was a 2 period dog show.
Plus, I don’t think I’ve ever seem a team less enthused about an overtime victory than Windsor when they beat Moncton.
And the Championship game, the pinnacle of the CHL season, 9-1 ? Come on.
St Mike’s of the OHL gets the hosting duties for 2011 and one can only hope, for everyone’s sake, that the tournament is far more competitive than 2010 in Manitoba.
I’m Fred Wallace