HOLTY’S BLOG: COMING TO A CLOSE

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This time next week we’ll be knee deep in the Stanley Cup Final, which means we’re getting close to the end of the season, the beginning of Holty Sabbatical 2017, and the opening of free agency.

You may think it’s only May and there is still a ton offseason left, but as I’ll remind you, it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want. And if there is anything I have learned in my six years out here, it’s the offseason flies by and you have to take advantage.

Now for the blog…

– It appears Anton Lander is headed to the KHL. He’s set to become a restricted free agent this summer, meaning his contract was up, and had his option overseas. Safe to say he had one of the greatest stints in the Condors 19-year history however with 55 points (25g-30a) in 42 games. More than numbers, he’s a good person, a good leader, and someone Condors fans should keep tabs on.

– Top 5 goals of the year, how’d we do?

– Iiro Pakarinen, who assisted on the first-ever AHL Condors goal, was re-signed by the Oilers this week.

– You can own a piece of Outdoor Classic history as six jerseys are up for auction to benefit the Condors Community Foundation.

– Got an e-mail this week asking about the status of an ECHL affiliation since the affiliation was not renewed with Norfolk and they have since signed on with Nashville. Well the update is that there is no update, but I will remind you that there will be more AHL teams than ECHL teams next season and dual ECHL affiliations are no longer allowed.

– Time for a Holty rant: I’m sick of the words “traditional” and “non-traditional” when it comes to “hockey markets.” Nobody says this in any other sport, yet we play baseball outdoors in Minnesota, football in Washington, and basketball in New Orleans. Do we classify these cities as traditional or non-traditional? No. But for some reason it creeps into hockey to define “cities where it snows” and “cities where it’s hot.” Or “cities where we just open the doors and people come,” and cities “where the staff has to sell the sport.” That’s crap. A city is either a good place to play and a good organization or it’s not. You can have bad “traditional” markets and good “non-traditional markets.”

– Since I graduated from college on this day seven years ago (I’m not sure when I got old), I’ll share that Holy Cross is headed to the NCAA Tournament. Rooting for a West Coast regional, but looks unlikely. Fun fact, from 1948 to 1952 your NCAA baseball champions were USC, Texas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Holy Cross. And the Crusaders have more baseball national titles than Florida State, Florida, Auburn, North Carolina and Alabama combined. I mean hey, these are just the facts.

– Lock of the night? Ottawa beats Pittsburgh in Game 7.

Until next time Condorstown…

Ryan Holt aka Holty is the voice of the Condors and enters his 7th season in Condorstown in 2017-18. You can find him on a golf course this weekend. Follow him on Twitter @CondorsHolty for more nonsense or shoot him an e-mail to rholt@bakersfieldcondors.com with questions, comments, or blog ideas.