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This weekend is one of the busiest of the year for Christmas tree farms all over the region, as the holidays approach and people start decorating their trees. At Johnston Brothers Tree Farm, located about 71 kilometres south of Ottawa, it's no sweat for founder Pud Johnston. Johnston is 99-years-old and it's his 72nd season selling Christmas trees. "I'm 99 and going for 100," he said. Johnston started the business in 1952 with his brother Eric and they worked alongside each other until he passed away in 2009. Johnston's son Kerry is now the main operator of the farm but he is still engaged every day, spending Sunday pruning some of the smaller trees. "I think it's a healthy activity," Johnston said. "I think it's provided lots of exercise and kept me fit and kept me young, and I wouldn't be 99-years-old now if I hadn't been Christmas tree farming." Pud didn't start the business until his late 20's but for Kerry, it's all he's known his whole life, cutting his first tree when he was about 8-years-old. "Ever since then, I've been in the tree business," Kerry said. "I know nothing else apart from growing up on a tree farm." As for the trees themselves, they can take up to a decade to fully grow. The Johnston's say it takes patience and discipline to run a Christmas tree farm. The Johnston Brothers Tree Farm allows customers to either cut their own trees or choose from the wholesale section. Trees start at $80 with the price depending on the size. Some of the trees on the lot can grow up to 20 feet. Because they've been established in the community for so long, it's allowed them to build a strong clientele, despite customers only needing to visit once per year. "Generally, our business is steady, It's the same people," said Kerry. "They come here because the trees are good. It's a different experience." Christmas trees at Johnston Brothers Tree farm near Kemptville, Ont. on Dec. 8, 2024. (Jack Richardson/CTV News Ottawa) Picking out a tree at the farm has become a tradition for Lisa Haddow-Green, her husband Mike and their 5-year-old son Jack. "We came here our first year with Jack when he was just a baby," she said. "So, we make it a tradition to come here every year." Brockville, Ont. resident Jackson Traynor has cut down a tree here with his dad and sister every Christmas for over 20 years. They say it wouldn't be the holidays without a real tree in their home. "It's just part of the tradition at this point," he said, after cutting down a tree that stood about six feet tall. "Something about the smell of a fresh Christmas tree and the process of you coming out here and you spend way too long picking the right one." Family is what drives Kerry to continue the operation for years to come, just like his dad. "It's been a long tradition that we've all worked together for as long as we can remember. And that will continue through my children and hopefully their children," Kerry said. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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That works out to more than 1.6 per day. Stay Connected
For the past 39 years, I’ve devoted a column to help folks shop for those useful but sometimes hard to find gifts for the sportsmen, and women, on their Christmas shopping list. Many of the items I highlight are not available on the shelves of the larger package stores but there’s still time to order online. I always list a few gift ideas that range in cost from a few dollars to a few hundred. Hopefully you can find that ‘just right’ gift among my picks this year. Shopping for an outdoor person can be a daunting task, especially if you aren’t familiar with what your outdoors person uses or needs. I will include some basic tips that should help you find the perfect gift. ELECTRIC SMOKER: I’ve said many times that the one outdoor item that it would be tough to live without is my Smokin Tex (www.smokintex.com) electric smoker. These smokers come in various sizes and are built to last. I have cooked hundreds if not thousands of pounds of game and domestic meats on mine through the years. Smokers come in many price ranges and you get what you pay for. These units are great, long term investments. BIG GAME TAGGING KIT: How many times have you harvested a deer just before the close of legal shooting time and fumble around looking for a flashlight, pen to fill out the tag and some way of snipping out the tiny “V” for the date of harvest? Those days are over if you carry a Big Game Tagging Kit from Vineyard Max (www.vineyardmax.net). These little kits come with everything needed to make tagging your deer, even in the dark, easy. With a lighted pen, snipper to cut out the date, reusable snap ties, pockets for licenses, tags and ID and trail markers these kits make ideal stocking stuffers for the big game hunter. Larry Weishuhn’s signature hunting knives are also available through the Vineyard Max website. THERMAL SCOPE FOR NIGHT HUNTING: The cost of thermal scopes has dropped appreciably the past few years, thanks to improved manufacturing advancements. Today, a very serviceable scope for night hunting hogs and predators out to about 100 yards is available through AGM Global Vision www.agmglobalvision.com for under a thousand dollars. The Rattler V2 comes with an onboard camera that also records audio and is a great buy for folks that keep their shots relatively close. JUG LINES FOR CATFISHING: Setting out a few ‘jug lines’ while rod and reel fishing is a great way to put together a catfish fry. Doug’s Jugs www.dougsjugs.com makes quality jug lines from swimming pool noodles and PVC pipe. These noodles come fully rigged with sharp circle hooks and stout lines that will hold the big ones. Conventional homemade jug lines work but they are extremely unhandy to store and handle in a boat, these noodle jugs take up little space in a boat and are very easy to work with. GUIDED FISHING OR HUNTING TRIP: Even the most veteran fisherman or hunter enjoys fishing new waters or hunting different areas with a veteran guide. Most guides offer gift certificates. It’s always best to check some references before booking a trip. Chances are good that your outdoor person has a circle of friends that you can quiz about a trip that would be perfectly suited. Guided hunting trips can be tailored to suit the interest of the individual, everything from a day upland bird hunt on a quality facility to a late season deer hunt on a hunting ranch. Prices vary greatly, everything from day hunts to hunts that include food, meals and lodging. Again, if you are not comfortable choosing a hunt, consult with your outdoor person’s friends, they can be of great help in helping choose the ‘just right’ outing. FIREARMS OR HUNTING BOWS: Choosing a new rifle, shotgun or bow is a personal thing and you will want to do a bit of research before making the purchase. A deer hunter doesn’t want just “a gun.” He or she wants a particular action, caliber or gauge shotgun. Rather than guess, it’s much better to give a gift certificate at a gun store which will allow your hunter to choose the firearm that suits his needs. Bows are even more specialized, with the exception of a crossbow which usually is a universal fit. Compound bows come in different draw lengths, draw weights, etc. A bow that fits a person 5 ft 5” tall with a 26 inch draw length is next to useless to someone 6 foot tall with a 30 inch draw length. It’s always best to shop for bows at a quality bow shop rather than a big package store, in my opinion. Experienced bow technicians can be of great help not only choosing but setting up a new bow. A gift certificate is always a good bet when gifting a bow. PREPAID PASSES TO PARKS FOR CAMPING: For the camper on your shopping list, consider a prepaid cabin or an RV space with hookups at a nice RV Park. One such destination that comes to mind is Wind Point Park https://www.windpointparktx.com/ on Lake Tawakoni. The park offers cabins, both large and small, lakeside RV spaces and hookups in the wooded area in the interior of the park. With a couple of fishing piers that provide good action on catfish both summer and winter and a large herd of deer to observe and photograph, this is a place that I highly recommend. Chances are very good that with a bit of research you can find a quality park close to your home that would be a great destination for the camper on your shopping list. SAUSAGE AND JERKY MAKING: Chances are good many of the hunters on your list butcher their own game and make sausage, cure hams, etc. Butcher Packer Supply www.butcher-packer.com is a one stop shop for spices, meat grinders, seasoning, knives, etc., everything for the home butcher. Visit the website and you will see hundreds of useful items to choose from. HUNTING OPTICS: Stealth Vision www.stealthvision.com , a Texas company headquartered in Crockett, offers top of the line rifle scopes and binoculars. Through the years, I’ve used many rifle scopes and these are the best I’ve used, hands down. The company also offers custom rifles topped with their scopes that offer half-minute angle accuracy. For the hunter/rifle shooter on your list, this would be a great gift. The company invites customers to the lodge near Crockett to try out the rifle/scopes and choose the one that is best suited to their needs. Hopefully one of these contacts will help you with your Christmas Shopping this year. I’ve had personal experience with everything listed and give them all a big ‘thumbs up.’ Listen to Luke’s weekly podcast each week, “Catfish Radio with Luke Clayton and Friends” available everywhere podcasts are hosted.Special counsel moves to abandon election interference and classified documents cases against Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors have moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. In court filings on Monday, the prosecutors cited longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had sought to hold Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president who firmly won election this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him. Israel launches new airstrikes on Lebanon as leaders draw closer to a ceasefire with Hezbollah BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli airstrikes are hitting Lebanon with airstrikes as negotiations progress toward a ceasefire between the country and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants. Lebanon reported that at least 12 people were killed Monday as explosions lit up the sky and airstrikes hit targets in Beirut and Tyre, a southern port city. After about a year of exchanging low-level attacks across the Israel-Lebanon border with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, Israeli troops launched a ground invasion of Lebanon in October. More than 3,700 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced since. The fighting has amplified worries about direct conflict between Israel and Iran. International mediators are seeking to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to end the fighting. What's blocking a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah? BEIRUT (AP) — Diplomats and other officials say there have been several sticking points in ceasefire talks in the war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, even as conditions for an agreement appear to be ripe. Israel’s military has killed nearly all of the militant group’s top leaders. Tens of thousands of Israelis who were evacuated from the border months ago are pressuring their government to go home. And the world wants to stop regional conflict from spreading after more than a year of fighting. But there remain sticking points over how Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the border area will be monitored and whether Israel will have freedom to strike the militants. Thanksgiving Travel Latest: Airport strike, staff shortages and weather could impact holiday travel Airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end with another record day for air travel in the United States. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday, most of them by car. However, travelers could be impacted by ongoing weather challenges and those flying to their destinations could be grounded by delays brought on by airline staffing shortages and an airport service workers strike. White Florida woman sentenced to 25 years in prison for shooting Black neighbor in lengthy dispute A white Florida woman who fatally shot a Black neighbor through her front door during an ongoing dispute has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for her manslaughter conviction. Susan Lorincz was sentenced Monday. The 60-year-old was convicted in August of killing 35-year-old Ajike “A.J.” Owens by firing a single shot from her .380-caliber handgun in June 2023. The shooting was the culmination of a long-running argument between the two neighbors over Owens’ children playing in a grassy area near both of their houses in Ocala. Lorincz told detectives that she feared for her life. Jurors did not agree with her self-defense claim. Judge in LA delays until January decision on resentencing Menendez brothers LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has delayed until January his decision on whether to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion 35 years ago. Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic said he needed time to review 17 boxes of documents. Still he let the brothers' aunts take the stand. They both testified on their behalf as the brothers seek to have their 1989 convictions reexamined in the shotgun murders of their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez. They argued the convictions should be reexamined because of new evidence of sex abuse by the brothers' father. The brothers were sentenced to life without parole. Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to graphic cigarette warning labels WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to a federal requirement that cigarette packages and advertising include graphic images demonstrating the effects of smoking. The high court declined to hear the case in a brief written order handed down Monday. The warnings include pictures of smoke-damaged lungs and feet blackened by diminished blood flow. Nearly 120 countries around the world have already adopted graphic warning labels. It’s not clear when new labels might appear in the U.S., however. Some legal claims remain and the FDA has said it doesn’t plan to enforce any new requirements until December 2025. Russia reportedly captures a Briton fighting for Ukraine as Russian troops advance Reports say the Russian military has captured a Briton fighting with Ukrainian troops who have occupied part of Russia’s Kursk region. Russia also began launching daylight drone attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine and its ground forces accelerated gains along parts of the front line. Russian state news agency Tass says the captured fighter was in the British army for four years and then joined the International Legion of Ukraine, formed early on in the nearly 3-year-old war. On the battlefield, a think tank says Russian forces recently have gained ground at “a significantly quicker rate” than they did in the whole of last year. Judge rejects request to sideline a San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she’s transgender A judge has rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she’s transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship in Las Vegas this week. His order also upholds the seedings and pairings in the tournament. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays NEW YORK (AP) — There’s no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the presidential election, the upcoming marking of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the holiday season could be a boon for some - a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones, hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives, another chapter in a lifetime of memories.For others, though, that same scenario, particularly because of the polarizing presidential campaign, is something to dread, with the likelihood of disagreements, harsh words and raised voices looming large.
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The high cost of grid electricity means heat pumps “make absolutely no sense” without solar panels, an energy boss has warned. Eddie Curran from GreenFox Energy, which specialises in solar panel and battery installation, wants to see the Scottish Government’s planned Heat in Buildings Bill, consider a "combination of decarbonising to meet our net zero objectives." The legislation setting out how all heating systems will need to move to green technology by 2045 is expected next year. In his first Programme for Government, First Minister John Swinney promised it would “set a long-term direction of travel that is deliverable and affordable for households and businesses”. But Mr Curran says the decarbonisation of the nation’s housing stock will need a ten-fold increase in solar installation. Otherwise, householders could face eye-watering charges. READ MORE Heat pumps myths and beyond: from costs to installation Pulling of Home Energy Scotland solar PV funding criticised Scotland set to install record number of heat pumps In addition to the hefty installation cost of heat pumps,he argued that if the pumps use grid electricity, they will cost consumers almost 25p per kWh, compared to a gas central heating system costing just over 6p per kWh. He said the only way to make heat pumps more affordable to run is if they are powered by “free” electricity from solar panels, sometimes with battery storage. Mr Curran said: “There is nothing wrong with heat pumps as a piece of technology and as part of the green power mix. But the truth is that without solar panels they make absolutely no sense, because of the high cost of grid electricity. “GreenFox Energy rarely installs heat pumps, because we cannot in good conscience offer customers a solution which involves a significant initial spend and then also costs four times more to run than their existing gas central heating system. “In almost all homes which can receive mains gas, a combination of solar panels and battery storage is the most cost-effective and fastest way to decarbonise the home and reduce costs for the homeowner. “As MSPs consider regulations as part of the Heat in Buildings Bill, they must consider a combination of decarbonising to meet our net zero objectives, and ensuring that householders, too many of whom already live in fuel poverty and are unclear about the value of green energy solutions, do not pay an unnecessarily heavy price.” He said the only solution “which ticks both of those boxes is solar, ideally along with a storage battery.” In its Heat in Buildings Strategy, the Scottish Government describes heat pumps as a key “no and low regret” technology. Their research shows that pumps — well-established in other countries — can operate effectively in Scotland in a wide range of buildings. Although they accept that one kWh of electricity is currently four to five times more expensive than one kWh of gas, the government argues that the higher efficiency of a heat pump means the amount of energy needed can be less than a third of the amount of energy needed by a gas boiler to produce an equivalent amount of heat. They also say it is “important that the market evolves” so as “not to disincentivise households from switching to zero emissions systems and to reduce the risk of tension between our climate change and fuel poverty targets.” They warn that the “current imbalance of gas and electricity costs is incompatible with our net zero objectives and acts to disincentivise take up of zero emissions heating technologies.” However, reforming the energy market or restructuring the various levies and charges that are added to energy bills, would involve the intervention of the UK Government. READ MORE £1.8 bn heat in buildings budget must be spent, say campaigners UK 'critically vulnerable' to another energy price crisis Scotland could be a heat pump hot spot like Norway. Here’s how... Earlier this year, Scottish Renewables, an industry body representing renewable energy companies, criticised the Scottish Government's decision to pull funding for solar panel installations through the Home Energy Scotland Grants and Loan Scheme. Previously they were offering up to £11,500 in grants, plus interest-free loans, covering air source heat pump, solar installation and battery.
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 30
Zayn Malik fans left devastated after he CANCELED Newcastle concert moments before going on stage as singer apologisedWhen a long-standing client of personal trainer Jack Smith suggested he should consider training children and teenagers, the 24-year-old could never have predicted how much the initial experiment would take off. Working in the heart of a town blighted recently by stories of badly-behaved youngsters repeatedly running riot - the former supermarket worker tells senior reporter Lauren Abbott he’s discovered there is plenty to be positive about when it comes to young people in the town. When I speak to Jack Smith days before Christmas, he’s in the middle of completing a government course about special needs and learning difficulties. Not because he needs another career alongside his full time job at Snap Fitness in Sittingbourne, but because since welcoming children into the gym he’s keen to learn all he can about the ways he can best support some of them. It was a regular client that first suggested Jack, who plays football for Faversham Strike Force, could branch into sharing his personal training skills with youngsters - putting forward his own offspring as potential test cases. Initial sessions were conducted, all the feedback was great and within a few weeks, with the help of social media, word rapidly spread. Since July and those early classes, Jack estimates he’s now had upwards of 50 to 60 children through the doors - his youngest customer aged just four who came along with an older sibling to enjoy some age-appropriate indoor games. Some children are already heavily into sports like boxing or football - including a handful competing at very high levels as signed academy players for some of the biggest men’s and women’s professional football clubs. Others, without a particular hobby, want to get fitter or do something fun and productive with their time. There are young clients with ADHD or autism who have struggled to fit into sports in other settings and are thriving on the one-to-one input Jack can offer. And there are also those to have been brought in by parents looking for ways to improve their children’s confidence or boost their mental health. More recently entire sports teams have also asked to bring their young squads into the gym for fun, motivational fitness classes under Jack’s expert guidance. Sessions are paid for hourly but young clients don’t need to have a Snap monthly membership to book. He said: “Mental health is a big topic at the moment. “I had a young girl come down, she wasn’t really into any sport. “And this is what I say to anyone after the first session - I sort of guarantee you’ll feel like a different person. “This girl was shy at the start, but her confidence grew and she still trains with me now.” Jack’s work has become so popular in just a few months, that a range of JS Performance Training branded items is also in its infancy - with the kids wearing hoodies, tshirts, hats and snoodies with pride. “They feel like they belong” he added. “It makes them sort of part of a club.” Jack, who lives in neighbouring Teynham, is acutely aware of the reputation Sittingbourne has developed in the last year - where a steady stream of low level anti-social behaviour incidents has affected residents, traders and visitors. In March 2024, football pitches at Sittingbourne FC’s Woodstock ground were churned up by a group on off-road motorcycles who rode roughshod over the grass. In June, water was sprayed at medical staff in East Street as they wiped paint from a wall and in August, an automatic door was smashed and cars were egged at nearby Sainsbury’s. At the end of November a dispersal order had to be put in place at the local retail park after McDonald’s workers were headbutted and punched during a weekend of disorder by youths , which followed trouble caused by a group at the Christmas lights switch-on in the town a few weeks previously. And earlier this month a KentOnline reporter went into Sittingbourne town centre to witness issues after dark for himself - where hooded children as young as 10 were seen targeting drivers and cars going through the one-way system. Despite the disappointing reputation some of the town’s youths have attracted of late, Jack says every child and teenager to have come into Snap Fitness has been nothing but ‘100% respectful’ of both the facilities and the equipment and the paying adult members also there working out’. He said: “The kids like coming into an adult environment. “You do have to be strict with it. They come in, I greet them in - so I always make sure when they come in with their parent I’m at the desk waiting for them. “We don’t want kids just coming in and roaming around. “We want it to be a respectful environment because at the end of the day there are adults paying for their membership and it’s important the kids understand that. “I do tour them around the gym - show them this is the adult area, and that we’re going to be in this area. And make that clear at the start.” Jack credits Snap, and his manager, for embracing such a unique concept back in the summer and for allowing children into what has traditionally been a place only for those aged 16 and over and putting all the right measures in place. He said: “It is safe, if you do it right with good technique. Teaching kids early - professionally - the right way for when they leave school or are at school - they’ll know what they’re doing. “That’s such a big thing as well, giving them an education on what’s right in the gym and what’s wrong in the gym.” He says the experience so far has ‘added another layer’ to him as a person and enabled him to meet some exceptionally dedicated and talented children, who are committed to working hard at sport, regularly putting in long hours around school and homework. “There is local talent in this town,” Jack explained. “I don’t think people realise what they’re doing. “A lot of people don’t realise, all the travelling they’re doing, all the hours they’re putting in. “And not just at football, at other sorts of sports, at after-school clubs, that all adds up as well. “They’re dedicated.” However since mixing with more young families, Jack, who has been a PT for almost four years, says it’s also very apparent how hard it can be to regularly find older children something to do locally with good facilities. Last year cash-strapped Kent County Council (KCC) announced £1 million of funding cuts for youth services to help it balance its books and claw back money for essential services. In December, Newhouse Table Tennis Club in Sittingbourne said it was looking for a new home because of the closure of their council-owned facility - the Newhouse Sports & Youth Centre - which is believed to soon be going on the market. But ultimately, something which Jack admits he initially thought hard about starting, has turned out to be an extremely worthwhile move. “I wasn’t hesitant, but I wasn’t sure how it would work with the gym and I did think ‘is this a route I want to go down?’ “But I now have people texting me from Beckenham, from London, wanting to come down during half terms. “I’ve had people come from Chartham near Canterbury and Bexleyheath way. “I started this because I wanted to help kids achieve. “Some of the kids want to be professionals and I’d love to play a part in that.”Cadillac to join Formula 1 grid in 2026In Gaza's crowded tent camps, women wrestle with a life stripped of privacy
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Indiana coach Mike Woodson is happy that his team has won three straight games but concerned that it's committing too many turnovers. Limiting miscues is at the top of his wish list for Monday night's Big Ten Conference opener against visiting Minnesota in Bloomington, Ind. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Scenes from Georgia's victory over Texas in the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on December 7, 2024. (Photos: Jim Blackburn) Click for more. PHOTOS: Georgia Defeats Texas for SEC Championship
The Seattle Kraken were one of a couple teams who didn’t have any players named to the four rosters of the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. The Kraken and Washington Capitals were the only two teams without a representative at the 4 Nations Face-Off, but that shouldn’t alarm Kraken fans. In fact, it’s really a comment only on where the Kraken are in their development. And if another best-on-best-type tournament is going to be played down the line – 2026 Olympics, anyone? – we’re much more likely to see a Kraken player wearing their home country’s jersey. For Seattle, the list of potential best-on-best players begins with star center Matty Beniers. At 22 years old, Beniers , but a year-and-a-half from now, Beniers is going to be a more well-rounded player, and someone who will be making a strong case to be included at the next Olympic Games. Now, we’re not saying Beniers will be a lock to represent America. There’s plenty of first-rate depth down the mille for the U.S., including Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes, Brock Nelson and Jack Eichel. But Nelson is currently 33 years old, and by the time the Olympics rolls around, Beniers could easily replace Nelson in America’s lineup. Similarly, on the Canadian side of things, Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour didn’t get named to the 4 Nations Face-Off. But , and the same could be true for changes between the 4 Nations Face-Off and the next Olympics. Remember, Montour is a Stanley Cup champion, and if Canada’s more senior blueliners including 34-year-old Alex Pietrangelo are omitted from the Olympic roster, the 30-year-old Montour would be a solid choice to replace him for the next Olympics. The 4 Nations Face-Off is going to provide plenty of great hockey for fans of all stripes. And while Kraken fans are no doubt disappointed to not have a Seattle player to root for at the tournament, it likely won’t be long before that changes and the Kraken have one or two representatives of their respective country at a best-on-best-type showdown. Things can change with either injuries or sub-par play, and an opportunity for a player like Montour or Beniers could be right around the corner. Time will tell whether a Kraken player or two gets the nod at the next Olympic Games – or as an injury replacement at the 4 Nations – and if they do, it will heighten the viewing experience for Kraken fans. For now, though, Seattle fans should sit back and enjoy the 4 Nations Face-Off for what it is – a fan-friendly tournament that will thrill any hockey-watcher.
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