MORE HOCKEY (WHAT ELSE?) ... PLUS BAD OFFICIATING ... AND MORE

 The National Hockey League’s trade deadline is Friday (March 8) at 3 pm., Eastern Standard Time … and, with fewer than 24 hours to go, ZAC JONES remained with the New York Rangers … The 23 year old defenseman from Richmond has been a healthy scratch in all but 17 games as first-year coach PETER LAVOLIETTE opted to use veteran newcomer ERIK GUSTAFSSON – who played for him last year with the Washington Capitals … A proposed deal that would have brought Anaheim veterans ADAM HENRIQUE and FRANK VATRANO to the Big Apple for forward KAAPO KAKKO and NY’s 2024 first-round draft choice reportedly was turned down by the Rangers. Henrique, a center, wound up with the Edmonton Oilers. Vatrano, the Ducks’ leading goal scorer, remained available … New York did land, as expected, ALEX WENNBERG from Seattle … as third-line center … Rangers remained involved for Penguins’ JAKE GUENTZEL … although Carolina Hurricane said to have reached a deal for the point-a-game right wing … Ex-Ranger VLADIMIR TARASENKO – obtained from Ottawa -- made his season’s debut with Florida Thursday night … and the visiting Philadelphia Flyers won 2-1, snapping the Panthers’ four-game win streak.

….. “Whatever they’re paying you … isn’t enough. W

hen you die, they should donate your brain to science,” said

 PAUL BISSONETTE on TNT’s NHL studio show. He was 

talking about:

(A)  WAYNE GRETZKY;

(B)  PJ SUPPAN;

(C)  ELLIOTTE FRIEDMAN;

(D)  STEVE LEVY.

….. Say, for example, Goochland High School upset Highland 

Springs, scoring the winning basket with 0.50 seconds 

showing on the scoreboard … and at least one official 

signaling the shot beat the clock (which replay proved correct) 

… leading to an on-court celebration … while the officials 

could be seen huddling in discussion … which resulted in 

them overturning the original result … enabling the Springers 

– not Bulldogs – advancing to the final game of the state 

tournament.

What would the Virginia High School League do? 

Well, it happened in New Jersey where Manasquan High, 

deprived of an apparent victory after the officials changed 

their minds and said time had run out before the final shot left 

the shooter’s hands, sought relief and was rejected. A regular 

(non-tournament) game is one thing. But, the question was: 

Why should Manasquan be kept from a crack at a state 

championship because of human error that was identifiable?

For one thing, Joisy rules don’t call for video review … which 

is why the NJSIAA said it was powerless to overturn the 

decision regardless of the evidence. The officials, right or 

wrong, have the last word. So Manasquan turned to the state 

board of education … which wasn’t any help either.

Meanwhile, there has been talk of a second law suit after a 

judge rejected the first one. Stay tuned.

....  (C)  Friedman is hockey's Mr. Insider in Canada ... 

although he's probably trusted more than most of his any-sport 

counterparts in the States and doesn't miss much. 

….. Quick thoughts while thinking:

The Washington Football Team would be best advised to trade 

down from its No. 2 draft position and load up on (a) 

offensive linemen and (b) defensive backs. If the new regime 

wants a quarterback, why not RUSSELL WILSON, the 

native Richmonder who is available and being paid $38 

million by Denver; or OREGON'S BO NIX, whose stock 

went down at the Combine but, it says here, remains among 

the top two or three QBs available in next month’s draft?

And, who do you like in the July 20 fight between MIKE 

TYSON, 57, and JAKE PAUL, 27? Don’t know whether to 

laugh or cry.

Until next time ...