from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- How big are the world juniors in Canada, still, after all the difficulties?

Big enough to have an audience for the final game on Thursday night that was almost 25 times larger than those who were watching the Maple Leafs play against Seattle at the very same time.

Big enough to have a televised audience larger than any of Canada’s recent games in the World Cup of soccer.

An average junior hockey game on television would normally draw about one-tenth the audience of an average Leafs, Canucks, or Canadiens game. The world junior final, which saw Canada beat Czechia in overtime, had 1.2-million viewers more than last year’s slap-happy Academy Awards. And it had 1.4 million more than November’s Grey Cup, with an audience on the rise.

- Jim Montgomery is running away with the coach of the year award in the NHL, just as the Bruins are running away in the standings. But consideration should be given to Rick Bowness in Winnipeg, Lindy Ruff in New Jersey, Bruce Cassidy in Vegas, Pete DeBoer in Dallas and Dave Hakstol in Seattle for the work they’ve been doing. And if there’s such a thing as coach of the decade, why not Rod Brind’Amour in Carolina, whose Hurricanes play a lot like Rod Brind’Amour every single season.

- Connor McDavid is phenomenal. Leon Draisaitl is terrific. Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are having all-star-like seasons. So tell me, how is it that the Edmonton Oilers are this average, barely in a playoff spot nearing halfway through the regular season?

- John Tortorella was probably speaking for most hockey executives when he said he couldn’t care less about the NHL All-Star game. Others just aren’t as bold with their words as Tortorella. The only reason there’s an all-star game is not to entertain fans but to entertain league sponsors.

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