Making the Cut, Episode 1: Choosing the 68

With the lockout this year, I bet a lot of you are itching for your hockey fix, aren't ya? Well, itch no more. I've got it, right here. CBC's Making the Cut has started and, from what I've seen, we're in for some great hockey!

If you don't know the premise behind the show, I'll give you a quick catch-up lesson. Making the Cut is the search for Canada's best unsigned hockey player. If you think it's a joke, it's not. Ten percent of all NHL players were never drafted, they went through a second round and fought hard to get there. Some of the more notable players are Martin St. Louis and Eddie Belfour. There are countless others but those two made a big splash this year. And, if you think just because I'm a girl, I can't recap this, you're sorely mistaken, I've been watching this game since I was born and I definitely know my hockey.

Anyway, first they will search Canada through tryouts and choose 68 of the best to move on to a real NHL training camp. Of those 68, six will make the cut and move on to join one of the six NHL franchises in Canada for the 2005 training camp. Famed coaches Scotty Bowman and Mike Keenan will train these boys hard, very hard. They're serious. They're looking for stars, people that can play the game and play it hard and in true Canadian style. Suit up boys, let's play the game. Are you ready? You better be, it's about to begin...

Whatever show was on before this one ends and I hear the CBC sports music. I get excited. The only thing that can possibly get me more on edge is the theme to Hockey Night in Canada but I do hear, "This is a presentation of CBC sports." Yay! The music starts, we see the ice... "Ohhhh, oh! In the big leagues. My boy's gonna play in the big leagues, my boy's gonna turn some heads. My boy's gonna play in the big leagues, my boy's gonna knock 'em dead." Is this not the best intro ever? Okay, Survivor is good too but this one is right up there!

We see Scott Oake (long-time commentator for CBC Sports). He talks about the dream. For future reference Scott will be our host along with Kelly Hrudey (I defy you to not love that man) and Cassie Campbell. If you don't know who Cassie is, she was the captain of the Canadian Women's team for ages. Great hockey player and I can't wait to hear what she has to say. It's the same with Kelly Hrudey. That man gets me through so many games it's not funny. I sit on the edge of my seat but when he talks, I listen, I love him, I really do. He's the Man Behind The Mask.

On the screen, we see the players suiting up and getting ready for action. There are some big hits, I cringe, I yell "ohhh, that had to hurt" and I laugh. We see one guy (missing one of his front teeth), when describing the "drills and skills" saying, "I think I'm gonna have a heart attack." There's no fooling around here.

Scott tells us, "In this country, the real Idols wear skates. This is the story of one player told over thousands of times." So, sit back, grab a beer, and let's see who will make the cut...

Toronto is our first city. We see a guy trying out say, "Is there a chance I'll lose my teeth at all?" Ummm, yeah, it's hockey. I'm surprised you have all your teeth.

The first prospects we meet is D.J. Marchese and his sister Theresa. They're both trying out. D.J. remembers his mom getting him up at 5:30 a.m. for hockey and he thanks her for it. His father passed away and he thinks if anything, his father would want him to succeed in hockey.

Theresa says, "If we didn't have hockey who knows what we'd be doing." She's a really pretty girl and not one that you would think can kick some serious ass on the ice but she can. Watch and see.

Jack Birch, the Director of Hockey Operations, comes on the screen and tells us a bit about the process. They're "giving them a shot at the NHL." They have to go through the first hour of drills and skills. The pros and the scouts decide who will make it to three on three. "We have to be heartless," he says. "You can't hide in three on three." The skating, the puck intelligence, it all shows up.

We go back to Theresa and D.J., she's a little nervous and says, "I have to prove myself to male hockey players." How will she do? I'm rooting for her at this point.