Things that make me go hmm....

• The Kamloops Blazers should be happy with this hire. Radio NL made it official Friday by announcing Jon Keen is the new play-by-play radio voice of the Kamloops Blazers. Keen has spent the last seven seasons cutting his teeth with the Swift Current Broncos. Keen and I are close, so the move out west is music to my ears. I think this is a great opportunity for him with a quality organization. Yes folks, I am speaking kindly about the Blazers, who I don't despise as much as many people would think. Blazers fans will like what Keen brings to the table. He loves the team he calls the action for and will be loyal to the organization. Keen may be moving from the smallest market in the CHL, but trust me, he is not a small time broadcaster. Congrats Keener. Instead of seeing you once a season, now it will be ten times.
• I will be down in Penticton next month for the Vancouver Canucks prospects tournament. It features the Canucks top prospects facing off against the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks top prospects. The majority of Okanagan hockey fans will be focusing in on the Canucks, but my attention will be on the Oilers. This team is stacked with some impressive young talent. No question they will take their lumps this season, but watching them grow, mature and develop will be fun to watch.
• The Kelowna Rotary Club has asked Gord McGarva and I to speak at a noon hour luncheon August 31st. Are they hard up for guest speakers? I thought I would throw that out there before someone else did. The Rotary has asked us to talk about our time in the broadcast booth following one of the top major junior teams in the country. We are looking forward to it and appreciate the local Rotary Club for the invite.
• It's not often that an assistant coach hiring by another team intrigues me, but the Tri City Americans hire of Brent Bilodeau does. Why? Bilodeau was a hulking defenseman that played for the Swift Current Broncos in 1991. At the time that Bilodeau was wearing Broncos colours, I was a young sports reporter at CKSW in Swift Current. A big player with an offensive upside, it will be neat meeting Bilodeau for the first time in 19 years.