Ashley Messier builds hockey legacy with sights on PWHL, Olympics
3h ago
Mark Messier is her distant cousin, but this Sask. hockey product is carving her own path.
Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp broke in early June and, at the time when I was asked if the Riders were a Grey Cup contender, I said no.
Chris Jones left the province late in the off-season. With Zach Collaros at quarterback, Saskatchewan didn’t even have one of the top three quarterbacks in the division. Free-agents Mike Reilly, Trevor Harris and Bo Levi Mitchell all took a pass on being with the Riders. And, Saskatchewan’s top playmaker on defence, Willie Jefferson, bolted for Winnipeg.
Four months later, and with five regular-season games to go, the Riders have a share of top spot in the West Division, and have locked up a playoff spot with time to spare. Riders head coach Craig Dickenson has empowered a group of players in the ultimate team game to play as a team. That has more than made up for any losses in personnel.
Barring a total collapse in the final five games of the regular season, Craig Dickenson will be in the coach-of-the-year conversation. (Hopefully that prediction goes better than the one I made in June.)