Episode 71 - Back In The Room

November 05, 2021

Episode 71 – Back In The Room

The lads are reunited for a recording for the first time in over 20 months (socially distanced). This week the guys discuss questionable COVID merch, social media mistakes, the NHL/Blackhawk situation, high school hockey, and EIHL DOPS. Plus all the usual news bits and features you have come to expect from the Door 14 Hockey Podcast.

As usual we start by looking at the EIHL League and Challenge Cup so far…

EIHL League Table 04-11-2021

 

EIHL Challenge Cup 04-11-2021

 

The NHL is still very early doors, so we’ll ignore that for now!…

Period One - Local Coverage

We start Period 1 by discussing the sad state of affairs in the SNL, as the Murrayfield Racers and the Dundee Comets aired their dirty laundry in public this past week on (now deleted) social media, much to the ire of Scottish Ice Hockey who took swift action aimed at both teams.

Meanwhile, in the EIHA, that league’s investigation into alleged racial abuse during an U18’s game a number of weeks ago came to its completion, with no supplementary action. The lads agree that whilst no action can be taken, it is beholden on both the League and the teams to take steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

In the EIHL, struggling Fife Flyers sunk to a seemingly previously unattainable new low, in a now deleted social media post flogging tiny bottles of hand sanitiser for £4 a bottle. Fans of the team and from across the league and beyond took exception to this, and rightly so. with the original tweet now gone, we’ll let BadlydrawnEIHL sum things up in their usual outstanding style!

Penalty Box

EIHL DOPS was awful busy over the last couple weeks.

It all started in Coventry, with Guildford taking the win and both teams taking multiple fines and bans.

The following week, the Blaze find themselves further involved with DOPS, this time with Cardiff who had their own run in with the Ban-Wagon…what’s you’re impressions of the bans handed out here? Safe to say, we had thoughts… Is DOPS losing legitimacy again?

 

 

It wasn’t just these teams under the DOPS microscope however – the Steelers and Storm both found themselves on the receiving end of fines for…well, stuff we guess. Things get a little vague on this one with no explanations or video.

Are we the only ones not sure what the craic is with these fines anyway? Where’s the money going? What amount are they for? Does it matter to you like it seems to for us? Are we the crazy ones?!

Period Two - International Hockey

Internationally news wise, things have been a little dark – but we start with the good news that China will indeed go to the ball! Well, they’ll be at the Olympics anyway, as the national team, ranked 36th in the world and more-or-less playing as KHL franchise KunLun Red Star (2nd from bottom by only one point), have been granted permission to play. We expect big things from these underdogs…or not, you know…whatever.

There was also some great, if expected news from Nashville for John as the Predators announced that their first jersey will be retired – and it will be none other than the number 35 of recently departed net minder Pekka Rinne that will be lifted to the rafters. Finally a banner that means something!

 

Sadly, international hockey news is dominated by more humbling and sad stories, none more so than the sad announcement of the passing of 24 year old Bratislava Capitals player Boris Sádecký, who passed away days after having collapsed during a game at the weekend. We join the global hockey community here at Door 14 in sending our condolences and best wishes to Boris’ family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time.

 

The biggest news of the last fortnight however in hockey is one that is inescapable due to it’s impact and severity.

Last week, news of an independent review of the handling of allegations of sexual misconduct by the Chicago Blackhawks organisation found there to have been significant failings by the part of several key and senior officials of that team during their successful 2010 Stanley Cup campaign. The abuser, who’s name we here at Door 14 will not deign to utter, sexually abused player Kyle Beach, who was only 20 years old at the time. Kyle has bravely stepped forward out on anonymity to give his side of the story and we stand with him, as do all decent and humane people in our sport.  So far, there have been several high level firings and resignations across Chicago Blackhawks and wider NHL, with the league itself fining the team $2,000,000 for failing to act appropriately to the allegations.
As time goes on, it is expected that more ac tons will be taken against individuals, but it is good to see at least the perpetrators name removed from the Stanley Cup at the very least, as it is one which clearly does not belong.

Penalty Box

One NHL DOPS ruling of mention is that of PK Subban (or PK Slew-bban as he is becoming known) being fined $15k, the maximum allowed under the CBA for tripping. Notable mainly as this is not just the first or second time this season that PK has been under Player Safety’s eye of this – but the THIRD in as many months.
John’s just glad he’s no longer in gold while he’s up to this nonsense!

Period Three - General Nockey News!

How many times do we have to say it?

Hockey Is For Everyone!

That’s the message for the idiot High School lads in Pittsburgh who decided to unload a tirade of sexist abuse at Mars Hockey Club’s female netminder. Whilst stiff action has already been taken by the boys’ school, it serves as a timely reminder to everyone that our sport is for everyone, and if you think you can do better that the girl or boy you’re hurling offensive abuse at, maybe lace up your own skates first, eh?

 

Thankfully there was some lighthearted funniness in the NHL this week to wrap things up with! In Edmonton last weekend, somehow Seattle Kraken defenceman Vince Dunn and Oilers forward Ryan Nugget-Hopkins ended up, quite literally ‘tied up‘ as Dunn’s skate lace managed to corral the heel plate of Nugget-Hopkins’ skate, leaving the two bound together! Skate bro’s for life, we’re sure from this day forward!

Star Competition

With John having regretfully neglected to tweet out the poll for the last Star Competition until literally a few hours before recording, it was a quick blast to find a winner, but we found one nonetheless.

Marty takes the first star of the 2021/22 season

 

That means we need a new roster of star nominees for this week.

Dave bows out having not seen much hockey and hands his pick to a fan instead, meaning we have two fan nominees for the first time EVER!

Shane Owen  (Fife Flyers)

Fan 1

Thomas Brownlee (@Doctor_Thomas) – Mark Garside (Belfast Giants)

Jordan Boucher (Belfast Giants)

eeeerrrrr……..Calpol….apparently…..

Fan 2

Mark Armour (@HotdogPens67) – Tyler Soy (Belfast Giants)

Overtime

Mark Armour (@HotdogPens67) asks a question that John especially hoped would never be asked. Given how much we disdain the Challenge Cup in it’s current format – he asks how we see would organise and run the competition if we were handed the reigns for the 2022-23 season. Honestly, most of it was half baked and we’d probably hate our own ideas too…but he said we couldn’t just cancel it altogether…so thanks Mark!

A Face for Radio!

In a strange twist of fate, we find ourselves promoting one of our own on a different platform here at the end of this week’s podcast! With the long-awaited return of the Glasgow Clan to the fold, John was invited (thanks Jo) to sit down and have a chat with Glasgow Live Fan TV’s Cally Yorke this week to preview their inaugural game of the 2021/22 campaign against the Giants here in Belfast. Check it out below.

Cally, a veteran of the sadly now retired Purple Army Podcast (which was a fantastic podcast!), is embarking on a new journey of YouTube content creation as a fan, for the fans, with his new show and John was pleased to be his first ‘special guest’. Have a watch of the video, and if you want to keep a weather eye on the Clan through the lens of this passionate lad – why not like and subscribe to his YouTube Channel or follow him on Twitter.

Thanks for having John on Cally, and good luck with the new venture!

ABC's of Hockey

Get into your team jammies, get ready for bed, tuck in and close your eyes – it’s time to be lulled to sleep by the soft tones of Aaron as he explains the world of hockey in the only way we know how, like he’s telling it to a child!

This time around, we’re on the letter O…..for ORIGINAL SIX!

Listen in as the lads show how embarrassingly little they really know about these elder statesmen of the NHL!

What did you think? Got something you think we missed? Got an opinion on something we already have? What do you make of our predictions for the season?Let us know, we want to hear it!!

Give us a shout on Twitter, Facebook or even in picture form on Instagram!