Thanks, Covid!

The only good thing to come out of Covid-19 is the redesigned format of this year's Stanley Cup playoffs. Because of the pandemic which restricted cross-border team travel between the USA and Canada, the National Hockey League had to jettison its traditional Western Conference/Eastern Conference format and realign teams into four temporary Divisions instead (North, West, East and Central). 

All seven Canadian teams were put in the North Division to play each other during the regular season . . . 

. . . which means that in the first and second round of playoffs, the qualifying Canadian teams will also be playing each other. Canadians love it because these particular all-Canadian match-ups have not occurred in decades.

The last time the Montreal Canadiens played off against the Toronto Maple Leafs was 42 years ago in 1979! My gawd, I was still in university then!

And the Edmonton Oilers have not played the Winnipeg Jets in a playoff series since 1990 -- 31 years ago! I was still living in Winnipeg then! As of that date, I hadn't even visited Edmonton yet.

The Oilers/Jets match-up starts tonight and it has put me in a bit of a dilemma. 

Who should I cheer for -- my former city or my current city? I'm torn! 

But My Rare One and I have resolved the issue by deciding that she will cheer for Edmonton and I will cheer for Winnipeg. Spread the luuuuuv around, I say!