As Canada’s team takes on Dallas, Johnny Winter’s foreboding 1969 blues tune comes to mind

By Steve Newton

Now that the Edmonton Oilers have sent the Vancouvers Canucks golfing–and quashed any possibility of yet another Vancouver hockey riot–it’s time to see how Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and the boys do against the formidable Dallas Stars.

It’s not gonna be an easy battle for Canada’s team, I’m sure of that, but with the hopes of the entire country behind them, the Oilers might just pull off a surprise.

As I type this, the first game of the best-of-seven series is in full swing (I’m recording it), but all I can think about is that song “Dallas” off of Johnny Winter’s self-titled second album of 1969.

It’s a foreboding, slide guitar-driven little ditty that clocks in at only 2 minutes and 45 seconds–which is about the same amount of time left in a third period when a desperate team pulls its goalie for the man advantage.

Hey, I realize it’s a stretch trying to draw analogies between a Johnny Winter song and ice-hockey, but who cares? It’s my blog and I’ll do what I want.

Goin’ back to Dallas, take my razor and my gun
Goin’ back to Dallas, man, take my razor and my gun, oh yeah
Lots of people lookin’ for trouble, man, sure gonna give ’em some

So I’m just gonna get real silly and suggest that deadly sharp Draisaitl be seen as the “razor” Winter threatens to use in Dallas–“the meanest town” he knows–if anyone (like maybe the Stars) comes lookin’ for trouble. And why not let McDavid be the gun, since he’s faster than a speeding bullet anyway.

Armed with those on-ice weapons–but no high-sticking, please–hopefully the Oilers can take the next step towards bringing the Cup back home to Canada after 30-some years.

But even if they don’t, and Dallas heads to the finals against Florida or New York, at least this impromptu blog might turn a few folks on to a wicked old Johnny Winter tune.

It’s all just part of my hallowed quest to draw enough attention to the late albino blues great that the nimrods down at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame finally break down and induct him.

Go Oilers! Go Johnny Winter!

Now I gotta go watch the game.