Making the Cut, Episode 4: On the Bubble

Things open up with focus on the “Black Aces.” The Black Aces are the players who have been cut so far, but remain in camp with only a remote chance to rejoin the elite players. With the aid of sports psychologist Saul Miller and a book with chapter one called “Managing the Mental Game,” the Black Aces are trying to cope with being cut. The mood is pretty bleak – normal for people this competitive. Anyway, Dr. Seth tells them about managing their disappointment and focusing their anger, and they go through a series of anger-releasing activities, like hitting things. Gotta say, whenever I was cut from a team, the only person I had to talk it over with was my dad. But hey, those were simpler times.

It’s Day 5 and we’re back in the War Room. The existing four teams are dissolved, and the remaining 41 players are split into two new teams, Team Blue and Team Gold. The objective is to try and make the teams as even as possible. Since no one is getting cut at this point, the discussion is much less animated. One significant change - since so many left wingers were cut last week, #9 Eric Boucher is moved from Defense to Left Wing. He says he’s fine with it, but that’s quite a difference if you’re a life-long defenseman!

The new teams are brought to the rink, and general managers Scotty Bowman and Mike Keenan both congratulate them on making it this far. Mike warns them about the Black Aces, reminding them that those players are still eligible in the process.

Psychologist Dana Sinclair is up next. Dana has worked with many athletes, including NHL, NBA, MLB, and Olympic teams and players, so she’s for real. Her function is to help the scouts evaluate players based on their psychological makeup. She subjects them to a battery of tests – those questions that “have no right answer” – and even if they lie or try to give answers they think Dana wants to hear, she has the experience to draw the correct conclusions.

I would have loved to see Original 6 players like Eddie Shack, Howie Young, or Reggie Fleming go through this process, but I guess this is also part of modern sport. I must disagree with Dr. Dana, though – as Leaf fans can attest, the drafting of players is still the crapshoot it once was. In the old days, a scout would scribble down “team leader” or “plays with guts,” and that would suffice. But, I digress.

Next stop is the gym and a session with Conditioning Coach Dean Shiels. There’s a lot of semi-focused hopping, sweating, grunting, and shouting going on here, but little of import, so lets move on.

Profile: #45 Billy MacGilliveray.

Billy was in the process of pursuing his hockey dreams via the U.S. college route, but he met his wife-to-be and got waylaid. Yup, there’s pictures, and she looked that good! They ended up having a kid and getting married, so Billy decided to put family security first and took a job with the Surrey, BC firefighters. He has wondered, “What if?” Now, he’s on the Gold Team.

A discussion of food and dietary needs follows, with dietician Cayla Runka and cook Ron Cecillion. Not surprisingly, there’s a lot of high-protein and high-carb food being served – pasta, eggs, steak, boneless chicken. Cook Ron has arranged for 3,000 eggs, a thousand pounds of pasta, 400 pounds of rice, and at least 1,200 pounds of chicken. It’s too soon after over-indulging so mightily at Thanksgiving, it pains me to even type that in! The only saving grace was the use of non-metric measurements I can actually understand! At any rate, several of the prospects are chatting and recognize that based on the aggressive physical schedule, some of the others are not eating enough.

Next scene, we are reminded that the players are essentially cut off from the outside world. Cell phones are programmed to only to call teammates and management. No unsupervised phone calls home are allowed. However, they can receive incoming e-mail from friends and family. I don’t really understand why; dealing with life’s distractions is all part of life in professional sports, but let’s move on.

The prospects do get visits from selected others, however. This week, Hall-of-Fame defenseman Denis Potvin drops by. He has a nice chat with #14 Wilder Weir, whose father Wally Weir played against Denis in the NHL.

Profile: #14 Wilder Weir

Wilder is shown performing in a comedy club in Montreal. He’s not terrible, but Brett Butt has not lost any sleep after seeing this episode. Father Wally is also shown, recounting when he set the AHL penalty record in only two periods of a game. Ha! On a more serious note, Wally does show a nice fatherly touch when he expresses his support of Wilder’s ambitions, be they in hockey or not. The piece concludes with Wilder talking about his nicknames, though I think “Sniper” is his own creation.

OK, finally we get some shots of guys on ice, as the prospects are shown warming up for a game between Team Blue and Team Gold. Keenan reminds them, “Discipline is a big part of being a pro hockey player.” Wow, if this were The Apprentice, that would be a wonderful hint of how the key goal was going to come about … but, this is the CBC and seeking editing nuances may not be a fruitful activity.

Finally, game time! First goal is a nice tip in for Team Gold, as #58 Eric Sonnenberg redirects #10 Brad Woods’ shot. Back on the bench, Eric compliments Brad’s shot. Team Blue pulls even, #40 Bruno Lemire wrists one from in close on the glove side. The coaches note that the line of Levy-Lemire-Kahler is hard-working, quick, and effective. But before the period ends, Team Gold goes up 2-1 when previously-profiled #45 Billy MacGilliveray brings the puck down the ice on a 2-on-1, feeding #52 Matt Hubbauer for the goal. The coaches note that with only the best players in the game, the quality of hockey is far superior to what’s gone before.

As the second period begins, the coaches note that #57 Kris Jefkins can’t keep up. One quote is, “He looks like he should start a new career!” This is followed by a near-fight between #14 Wilder Weir and #65 George Zajamkala. Remember, you’re allowed one fight but then you’re out, and it looks like neither wants to waste the freebee at this time. And we move on, with several more real heavy checks, including one that sends profiled Billy MacGilliveray to the sidelines.