The Regina Pats get a 46-day recess before they try to win a week-long tournament for the Memorial Cup.
What a stupid format!
The Canadian Hockey League needs to devise a better method of determining its major junior champion. Last year the host team, the Windsor Spitfires, had a similar recess before waltzing through the four-team, week-long tournament and winning the Memorial Cup.
This year the Pats are the host team, despite losing their first WHL playoff series against the Swift Current Broncos.
So while Swift Current and the other contenders continue along their arduous playoff paths, trying to stay strong and healthy, the Pats get to rest.
Having a host team creates interest and helps sell tickets, but it’s not fair to the Quebec, Ontario and Western hockey league champions. One of them should receive a bye into the Memorial Cup best-of-seven final series against the winner of the other two leagues to make sure the host team no longer gets such a tremendous advantage.