Hi everyone! I have to admit it’s been a pretty great week. First, we finally get a serious offer on our father’s house meaning there is one less responsibility in my life. Hopefully. Probably shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch, but I’m 99% sure the sale is going to go through. And my Habs have actually played pretty well to start the season. Sure, I would be lying if I said this positive trend will continue into mid-2023, but I’ll take what I can get, which, after last season’s debacle, is a welcome relief.

This week is all about the optimism. All about believing that things will get better. Ah, sure, sometimes things don’t actually get any better, but one can’t go through life always believing things will be bad. Take the end of the Seals’ 1974-75 season. Things were definitely looking up in the Bay Area. The team was playing more competitive hockey. Rookies were playing a major role in the team’s success. Both Gilles Meloche and Gary Simmons turned in strong performances in goal. Attendance was up too. So this week, I invite you to check out an uplifting piece from Hugh McDonald of the San Mateo Times. It comes one day after the Seals tied the 105-point L.A. Kings, and it focuses on the Seals’ prospects for the future. Yes, there was a time when the Seals looked primed to remain in Oakland for a long, long time. It didn’t turn out that way, but the article is still an interesting snapshot of what was going on in Bay Area hockey at the time.

Before I close out this week, I have an important announcement. In a future issue of The Hockey News, (likely hitting your news stands in early November), a piece that I wrote about the 1976 Coca-Cola Cup series will be appearing in its legendary pages. My first freelance job! I am very excited about seeing the article in hockey’s longest-running publication, and I hope you all get the chance to check it out.

On that note, have a great weekend, and may all your hockey nights be merry and bright. Until next time, stay gold!