Weekly Takes - Monday, June 17 Edition

Weekly Takes - Monday, June 17 Edition

1. Professional sports are often about copycatting, but watching the Stanley Cup Final, that is simply not going to be possible for other teams.

The Oilers are the most top-heavy team in the modern era, with shaky goaltending and a ton of concern on defence after their top pairing. They just so happen to have the best player in the world.

The Panthers, meanwhile, have done everything right in their team-building, but it is going to be next to impossible for another team to replicate the career resurgences from the likes of Brandon Montour and Gustav Forsling. Everything they have touched has turned to gold.

A weird Cup Final to watch.

2. The Leafs were right to move off Guy Boucher, as they continue to revamp the coaching staff around Craig Berube.

I always liked Boucher, but asking a coach who was known for coaching a 1-3-1 to coach a power play was always a head-scratching call.

3. It is going to be an all-time indictment on the Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins era if Cavan Biggio turns his career around with the Dodgers.

It would go beyond "a change of scenery." It would mean the Dodgers player development staff found something that the Jays' simply could not.

That would be a horrible look.

4. Luke Doncic is a brilliant basketball player. A franchise-altering player.

But Brian Windhorst is right. Until he cuts out the antics -- throwing a "money sign" at the ref after making a correct call is an embarrassing look -- and until he shows a little interest in playing defence, he is going to always end up, at best, four wins shy of the ultimate prize.

Hopefully, this can be a learning experience for him. Losing to a superior Celtics team can be the best thing for his career.

5. Dan Hurley was right not to leave UConn, where he has a legitimate chance to 3-peat, for a declining Lakers team that would spit him out the second LeBron James grew tired of him.

Hurley can continue to make bank and history with UConn, and then leave for the NBA whenever he wants to in the future.

The history and glamour of the Lakers job does not outweigh the risk that would have come with taking the job.

6. It is going to be so tough to make the playoffs in the AFC this season, so it has to be a depleting feeling for the Jets to watch other teams gain chemistry early into the summer while their franchise quarterback is nowhere to be found.

But it being depleting for the Jets does not mean anyone should feel bad for them. They knew what they were signing up for.

Aaron Rodgers is an awful person and teammate, who just so happens to have a God Given ability to play football at an elite level.

He is who he has always been.

7. It is time for Tiger Woods to cut back his Major appearances and he may as well start at the US Open.

He is simply not good enough any longer to play in the event. Full stop.