the 4th star

It’s all about choices. Make a choice and live with the consequences. We hear that all the time in life.

A kid steals a car and kills a guy on the street. He made that choice and he’ll go to prison for that choice. A douchebag decides he’d like to get his girl a pair of fake ones, only to have every guy in the neighbourhood stare at them as she walks down the street. Behold the consequences of that choice.

Another example: I like chocolate milk. Sometimes too much. But even when I’m full of breakfast I’ll have a second glass and as a result, I’ll get a sore stomach. That’s a choice I make. Delicious chocolate milk immediately vs. sore tummy later.

Derick Armstrong’s choice was pretty cut and dry. He felt dissed and chose not to come into a game when asked. Unless there’s a huge back story to the relationship between the player and head coach (one we don’t know about), his choice was simple. Wounded pride turns into quotes in the newspapers, and suddenly he’s no longer a part of the club. He made the choice, he’ll live with the backlash and another opportunity in a different city.

On CJOB last night, Bob Irving couldn’t believe that Big Country would respond this way. During head coach Mike Kelly’s side of the story at the start of the coach’s show, Irving wondered aloud how a solid guy like Armstrong could act in such an insubordinate manner. I got the sense that Irving didn’t believe what Kelly was telling him, that there had to be more to this than everyone was letting on.

These were the choices Kelly had in Edmonton: He chose to make Armstrong — a veteran and one of the most productive receivers on the team the last two season — the designated import instead of a rookie. Essentially, Armstrong was the back-up for that game. That’s one choice Kelly made; a tough one but it’s his team and he can do what he wants.

What I find interesting was the next choice Kelly made. He told his receivers coach, the Outlaw Bobby Dyce, to inform Armstrong of the roster decision. That’s an interesting move by Kelly, one that hasn’t really been expanded on. The head coach has made a point of telling everyone under the Winnipeg sun that the Bombers are his team and he has basically lived up to those statements by handling every little detail involved with the on-field product. He is the type of guy who handles everything — just like many rookie head coaches do in their first year.

That’s why his choice to let SOMEONE ELSE deliver the bad news is so disturbing. Why wouldn’t HE go tell a star receiver that he was not going to be starting? Isn’t Kelly a straight shooter? That’s what he tells everyone. You don’t like what I’m saying, then don’t ask the questions. To not reach out to your player and lay out the facts for him, flies against everything Kelly has done to that point. It’s like firing a guy through email. It makes others question whether you can walk the walk on all that talking you do. Sports isn’t the real world, but there are some common threads between the two, and being upfront with people speaks to what kind of person someone is.

I bet Armstrong would have reacted differently if he had been approached by the guy in charge.

“Here’s the deal, Derick. We have a bit of a ratio problem on defence and we have to move a few things around. You’re not going to start, but we’ll need you for this game before it’s all said and done. You’re a big part of this team and I need you to lead this receiver group.”

Armstrong hears that from the boss, not an assistant coach, and he’s probably cool. Sure, he’d be bothered by the decision, but it’s sometimes amazing what the simple act of reaching out can do to cool potentially combustible situations.

And then there’s no drama.
And then there’s a player who feels he’s earned some respect on this Bombers team.
And then there’s a chance to avoid out-right cutting a top player and getting nothing in return via trade.
And then the other players see that their coach actually knows how to handle tough situations.
And then those same players might work a bit harder in practice.
And then the head coach adds another brick to his continued image building in this town.
And then fans aren’t wondering if the Bombers know what they’re doing.
And suddenly we’re all talking about Friday’s home opener against the Calgary Stampeders.

And working hard. Let’s not forget about that.

That question was raised in the Freep this morning, as the curious Andrew Raycroft signing by the Vancouver Canucks puts Schneider’s jump to the NHL in serious doubt. Canucks general manager Mike Gillis indicated the battle for the back-up job behind Roberto Luongo is still wide open but from the sounds it, Raycroft seems to think he’ll be the guy:

“Obviously Louie is the 1-1A goalie in the league and he’s going to play when he feels good,” said Raycroft, 29. “I understand that and I’m well aware of that. When you get the call, you have to play well. Practice also becomes very important and being the consummate team guy and getting along with everyone and everything else. Every team needs a second guy who can play, so I look forward to having that chance and just being around Louie every day and hopefully being a sponge and learning from him.”

Working in Raycroft’s favour is the fact that he’ll earn the league minimum ($500,000) this season. That’s less than half of what Schneider would make as Luongo’s caddy and with the Canucks expected to be up or near the salary cap ceiling when all is said and done this summer, the extra wiggle room means more than the $600,000 in space Raycroft’s contract provides. It’s a raw deal for Schneider. The guy has nothing left to prove in the AHL and deserves to be in the NHL this season.

What is interesting in all this is the prospects of a trade involving the redheaded stopper. The whispers of Luongo signing an extension have quieted slightly over the last week, but everyone seems to believe that will get done now that the Sedins have been locked up. Once that happens, you have to think Gillis would start dangling the AHL goaltender of the year around the league, looking for either a Top 4 defenceman or a Top 6 forward in return.

The problem with that scenario is where do you start shopping? Outside of Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Dallas, Tampa Bay and maybe Atlanta, it’s not a great market to move a goaltender these days. The hot rumour had Schneider going to Toronto for Tomas Kaberle, but that deal is dead with the signing of ‘The Monster Bust’ this morning.

However, Gillis hinted to the Province that more crease movement may be coming:

“Cory still hasn’t really played in the NHL — except for emergency recall [last December] — and he’ll be competing for a spot on this team like everybody else. We’re thinking what’s best for Cory and what’s best for everybody and we need to have goaltending depth. You just can’t go into a season with two goalies. And we’re looking at other goalies to supplement the group. We’ll see what happens in the next couple of months.”

Bottom line is the Canucks need to do something with Schneider this summer. They’ve treated him with kid gloves during his tenure. Protecting, nurturing and incubating the 22-year-old to the point where it’s time for him to leave the Manitoba Moose nest and try his wings. If the Canucks are going to make a run next season, and everyone seems to think they are close to doing that, it’s time to flip this future chip into something tangible for the present.

Prediction: The Chicago Blackhawks will take a step back and not make the post season next year.

That leap of prognostication comes from recent events that has the Blackhawks looking more and more like they are about to screw up everything they’ve accomplished through the last two years of bridge building with the Windy City.

First, general manager Dale Tallon signs Marian Hossa — a player he watched show up for ONE GAME against his ‘hawks in the post season — to a large deal, not only locking the team into a a potential post season curse for the next decade but also hand-cuffing themselves with regards to the salary cap. Hossa can score, sure, but why bring in an offensive player at that term and at that price when you have more than enough pop up front?

Second, he watches goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin walk away as an unrestricted free agent, as he signs a four year deal with the Edmonton Oilers. If you saw any of the games last spring, you know that the Bulin Wall was the No. 1 reason the ‘Hawks made it to the Western Conference final. Think about who he out-dueled last spring: Mikka Kiprusoff and Roberto Luongo. Two of the Top 5 goaltenders in the world. He walks, and Chicago hands the reins over to the porous Cristobal Huet.

Prediction #2: Huet will be collecting that $5.625 million salary in Rockford by Christmas.

Finally, the Blackhawks complete their terrible summer by screwing up the simple task of the required paperwork. Ever heard of a courier, guys? With Cam Barker and Kris Versteeg — two players who should be solid second tier guys for Chicago for years to come — possibly about to become unrestricted free agents thanks to the NHLPA grievance, the Tallon locked up Barker for the next three years last night at $3-million plus per year.

Desperation or a show of guilt? Call it what you want but it still raises the same reaction. Ouch. As for Versteeg, a Calder trophy finalist, it looks like there’s not going to be enough room in the kitty for him. Other, like Patrick Sharp, might not be long for Illinois, either. Especially when you consider that the major pieces named Kane and Toews need to be signed next year.

Prediction #3: Tallon won’t use a courier for those contracts. He will hand deliver them.