Are you ready for some football? . . . The CFL season opens on Thursday night 
when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a rematch of the 2019 Grey Cup game. That just happens to have been the last CFL game played because of the pandemic. . . . Winnipeg won that game, 33-12, in Calgary, taking possession of the Grey Cup for the first time since 1990. . . . On Tuesday, the CFL announced a cancellation program that could result in teams forfeiting a game and players not being paid. . . . “Our goal is to ensure we have zero game cancellations due to issues caused by an outbreak of COVID-19 within our football operations,” CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a statement. “While this policy spells out what will happen if cancellations do occur, its main purpose is to encourage all of our players to get fully vaccinated in order to minimize the risk to our season and, most importantly, their health and safety.” . . . There is more on this story right here.
The WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors have signed Slovakian F Robert Baco and Czech F Martin Rysavy, both of whom were selected in the CHL import drafts. . . . Baco, 18, was selected in the 2021 draft on June 30. He played last season with Karlovy Vary’s U-20 side, scoring two goals and adding four assists in nine games. He also had one goal and an assist in nine games while on loan to SK Kadan in the Czech2 league. He added two goals and two assists in six international games for Slovakia. . . . Rysavy, also 18, was the sixth overall selection in the 2020 import draft. He played last season at home with HC Prerov in Czech2, putting up three goals and six assists in 19 games. He was pointless in six games with HC Vitkovice in the Czech Republic’s top league. He also played in the IIHF U-18 Worlds in Texas, finishing with two goals and an assist in five games. The Columbus Blue Jackets selected him in the seventh round of the NHL’s 2021 draft.
The SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings are expected to name a new general manager/head coach on Thursday. The club revealed Tuesday that Rich Pilon, its general manager and head coach, no longer is part of the organization. . . . Greg Nikkel of sasktoday.ca wrote a brief story that quoted team president Brent Stephenson as saying: “There will be no further details at this time due to legal reasons.” . . . According to Nikkel, Stephenson added that the matter may end up in court, so no additional comment can be made.” . . . Pilon, 53, is a former WHL and NHL defenceman. He joined the Red Wings as general manager and head coach on April 29, 2019. . . . On Tuesday afternoon, the team’s website didn’t list a general manager/head coach or an assistant coach.
CNN — New York City will require proof of vaccination to enter all restaurants, fitness centers and indoor entertainment venues, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. “If you’re unvaccinated, unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in many things,” de Blasio said. “If you want to participate in our society fully, you’ve got to get vaccinated.”
RHP Luis Gil made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees on Tuesday night, taking the spot in the starting rotation that usually belongs to Gerrit Cole. . . . Cole tested positive on Monday, so is likely to be out until at least sometime next week. . . . On Tuesday, the Yankees revealed that LHP Jordan Montgomery also has tested positive so he, too, is likely to be out at least 10 days. . . . Last month, the Yankees, who have more than 85 per cent of their people fully vaccinated, had six players test positive, including OF Aaron Judge. . . . BTW, Gil pitched six scoreless innings, giving up just four singles and one walk, as the Yankees beat the visiting Baltimore Orioles, 13-1, on Tuesday night.
Western Michigan U announced on Tuesday that Andy Murray has resigned after 10 seasons as head coach of the men’s hockey team, with Pat Ferschweiler promoted to replace him. . . . “The last 10 years at WMU have been as rewarding as anything I have done in my life,” Murray said in a news release. “I am in great health and full of energy, so this is not a retirement. I still have a number of things on my bucket list and now is the time to pursue those.” . . . Murray, 70, has coached since 1976 when he was the head coach of the MJHL’s Brandon Travellers. His past includes stints as an assistant coach in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, Minnesota North Stars and Winnipeg Jets. He also worked as the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings for six seasons and the St. Louis Blues for two seasons and parts of two others. . . . He also owned the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks for six seasons with childhood friend Garry Davidson. . . . Ferschweiler has been the program’s associate coach since 2019. He joined the program as an assistant coach in 2010 under head coach Jeff Blashill. Ferschweiler left the Broncos to work under Blashill with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins and then the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, before returning in 2019.
The host Winnipeg Goldeyes dumped the Sioux City Explorers, 14-6, on 
Tuesday night in the first American Association baseball game in the Manitoba capital since Sept. 2, 2019. There were 2,716 fans in Shaw Park. You will recall that I had something here yesterday about the problems the Explorers were having fielding a team because a majority of their players aren’t vaccinated and even some of those who are vaccinated didn’t want to come over the U.S.-Canada border for fears of testing positive and having to quarantined. . . . Here’s Ted Wyman of the Winnipeg Sun: “That was a big problem for the Explorers, who had only nine of 24 players on the roster who were vaccinated. Eight of those nine vaccinated players were leery about crossing the border and chose not to travel to Winnipeg. So the Explorers signed a bunch of players from the Pecos League, considered a step down from the American Association, to travel to Winnipeg.”
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to play, although it didn’t reveal a schedule or a start date. On Sunday, the Canmore Eagles announced that they are opting out “due to challenges in meeting the requirements of the approved Return-to-Play Plan and of existing restrictions due to COVID-19.” . . . A news release on the AJHL website added: “We have worked tirelessly through several options not only within the town of Canmore, but also exploring possible solutions to work with other communities. Regrettably, we have not been able to arrive at a workable solution.” . . . The Eagles were hit with an outbreak of COVID-19 in late November, one that resulted in at least 16 positive tests within the organization and some community transmission. Andrew Milne, the Eagles’ general manager and head coach, did some resulting media interviews in which he candidly discussed what the team had gone through. The AJHL followed by hitting him with a 15-game suspension and a $1,000 fine for “bringing discredit to the league.”
Norway, has signed with HC Dalen Norrahammar (Sweden, Division 1). . . . He had 29 points, including 13 goals, in 62 games with the Blades last season. . . . Røykås Marthinsen was a seventh-round pick by the Washington Capitals in the NHL’s 2017 draft but wasn’t signed. . . . Saskatoon also lost its other import from last season as D Emil Malysjev has chosen to remain in Sweden. He had three goals and 14 assists in 63 games last season, then added one goal in 10 playoff games. . . . The Blades, who knew well in advance that neither would return, selected Czech D Libor Zabransky and Czech F Radek Kucerik in the CHL’s 2019 import draft. . . . Zabransky, 19, has WHL experience, having played with the Kelowna Rockets in 2017-18 and for part of last season. He finished it with the USHL’s Fargo Force. . . . Kucerik, who won’t turn 18 until Dec. 21, had six goals and 17 assists in 43 games with HC Kometa Brno’s U-19 team last season. He was the team captain. He also had two goals and three assists in 22 games with the national U-18 team. . . . Zabransky also is a product of the Kometa Brno organization.
TAKING NOTE 