NHL Awards - My Thoughts

If you had told me a year ago that I would be writing a post about the NHL Awards I would have thought you were crazy. And not just because I didn't have this blog a year ago. This past season I found myself getting more into hockey than I ever have. I don't know if it's because I'm older, or because J followed things a little more closely since his Avs were having an awesome season but whatever the case we watched a good chunk of the show last night.

Just a couple (pretty random and not necessarily hockey-related) thoughts on the show:

- I was really excited that Nathan MacKinnon won the Calder Memorial Trophy. He had a fantastic rookie year, plus he's a local kid. I definitely cheered when his name was called.



Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado)
{ Zimbio/Ethan Miller/Getty Images North America }

- I thought David Boreanaz did a really good job presenting. I follow him on Twitter and he's definitely a real hockey fan.



David Boreanaz with Jaime Bergman
{ Zimbio/Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America }

- He may not have won the Vezina Trophy (and I do think Tukka Rask deserved it) but Semyon Varlamov was definitely the best-dressed nominee, and one of the best dressed players there.



Semyon Varlamov (Colarado)
 { Zimbio/Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America }

- I loved seeing the clips about the nominees for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, King Clancy Memorial Trophy, and the Mark Messier Leadership Award. It's wonderful to see these guys giving back.

Did anyone else watch? How did your favourites do?

Weekend Update

I've been lucking in to a lot of Saturdays off lately, it's kind of nice! This weekend I was off Saturday and Sunday. We didn't do anything too exciting, but it was nice to spend a couple days with J.

Saturday we slept in, then headed to the mall to try and find a birthday present for my Dad. There's a store at Mic Mac Mall called RUA Sports Fanatic that sells all kinds of "fan gear." J loved seeing how much Avalanche gear they had. (His birthday isn't until June but I think I already know what I'll be getting him.) We picked up a Blackhawks t-shirt even though Dad already has tons of them. Nothing else really jumped out at me unfortunately. And everybody can always use t-shirts...

We spent some time roaming the mall trying to find jeans for J too. He hates shopping, and hates spending money on himself so it was a bit challenging. In the end we gave up. I think he's going to have to go out some time by himself.

Supper Saturday night was at my parents with my brother, his girlfriend and my uncle to celebrate Dad's birthday. Mom did a feast of ham and scalloped potatoes and attempted a berry flan for dessert. Now that it's just her and dad in the house Mom is getting adventurous with cooking and baking. Every time we go over she's trying something new. It's nice, but I wish she had done more of it when I was home. :-)

After supper J and I headed in to the city for a Moosehead's play-off hockey game. (The Mooseheads play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.) Our seats were in the upper bowl but it was an AMAZING game. Super intense. We ended up winning 3-2 in overtime. Probably the best Mooseheads game I've ever seen. They're playing in Val D'Or, Quebec tonight and if they win they're off to the next round. Fingers crossed!

Hockey game selfie. Go Moose Go!

Sunday was the usual flurry of church, dinner with J's folks, and grocery shopping. I actually did up a meal plan for the whole week so hopefully that will help keep me on track with Weight Watchers.

Hope you had a great weekend!

xo,
Sara

Why Not Us?

Throwback to 2010.
(Photo by Sabrina Thurlow)

I am a hockey fan.

Given that I am Canadian, and even more that I am my father's daughter, this is probably not a surprise. I think it also has to do with the fact that I've played ringette for years, and though they're very different sports they also have a lot of similarities.

My dad has been a fan of the Chicago Blackhawks since he was a kid. (His favourite player was Stan Mikita.) Here in Nova Scotia it was hard to find Hawks goodies to give him as gifts. Somehow we managed to find stuff though, and when he was working his office was full of Blackhawks memorabilia. He even had a Blackhawks tie. (I bought that on Ebay.) For a long time Dad took a lot of flack for being a Hawks fan. When they won the Stanley Cup in 2010 I cried, I was that excited for my Dad. I think that's when I really adopted them as "my" team too. (Yup, I'm a bandwagon jumper.) When they won again in 2013 we were all ridiculously excited.


My dad with the Stanley Cup in 2013.
Isn't he the cutest?


My brother is a lot of things, but a sports fan isn't one of them. So when Dad discovered J was a hockey fan he was pretty excited. Even if J's favourite team is the Colarado Avalanche. After Dad retired he started his own small business selling sports cards. (Primarily hockey.) Every year he gives J a couple Joe Sakic hockey cards for Christmas. And a couple years ago for Christmas he gave him a Sakic jersey. J was so excited when he opened that gift!

 

J has taken some flack for his choice of NHL team too. The Avalanche weren't a very popular team around here either. It was even harder to find Colarado memorabilia to give him as gifts. That all changed when Nathan MacKinnon, a local boy, was drafted first overall by the Avalanche in the last NHL draft. Now I can't find any memorabilia because it's all sold out!

 

Tonight I'm sitting on the couch watching the Avalanche take on the Minnesota Wild in the Stanley Cup play-offs and I couldn't be more excited. For the first time in a long time my husband's team has a chance to go all the way. He's like a little kid, and I love it. I think, for the rest of this season, I'll be an Avs fan too. (And it's not just because my Hawks are losing...)

 

Are you watching the Stanley Cup play-offs? Who are you rooting for?

 

xo,

Sara