Friday, August 24, 2007

Friday notes . . .

Rumour has it that the two ADT Challenge games that will be played in WHL arenas will go in Medicine Hat and Cranbrook. Those games are tentatively scheduled for Nov. 28 and 29 . . .

The Spokane Chiefs have released C David Linsley, 20, meaning they already are down to three 20-year-olds — LW Judd Blackwater, C Chris Bruton and LW David Rutherford . . .

The Everett Events Center has a new name, thanks to a deal for naming rights with Comcast Corp. The deal is worth US$7.4 million over 10 years in cash and advertising. For the first year of the contract, the facility will be known as Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center. After that, it‚s Comcast Arena. According to the Everett Herald, “Under the deal, Comcast's payments to the Events Center will average $340,000 a year. It will also provide about $400,000 annually in advertising to promote the 10,000-seat arena, which is home to the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips hockey team.” . . .

D Daryl Boyle, 20, of the Brandon Wheat Kings has signed a free-agent tryout deal with the NHL’s Boston Bruins. Other Wheat Kings going to NHL camps are D Keith Aulie, a 2007 draft pick of the Calgary Flames, and C Andrew Clark, 19, who has a free-agent deal with the St. Louis Blues. . . . Brandon is working to trade C Matt Hallick, 18, who had eight points in 50 games last season. Hallick, the 36th pick in the 2004 bantam draft, is at home in Medicine Hat awaiting a deal and won’t take part in Brandon’s training camp . . .

Chilliwack D David Hoda, a 2007 import draft selection, is on the shelf with what the team calls a “minor illness.” He hopes to play in the team’s intrasquad game on Sunday afternoon. If he can’t go then, he should play in the Everett tournament over the Labour Day weekend . . .

Regina Pats head coach Curtis Hunt is displaying a whole new look as training camp opens. The Regina Leader-Post reports that Hunt has lost 28 pounds. “I feel great,” Hunt told The Leader-Post’s Rob Vanstone. “I get up in the morning and I feel energized. It’s all about discipline in the end. You break those habits and it empowers you. Eating is such an easy thing to fall back on. You can go ‘Ahhh, we’re osing games,’ and eat a bag of chips or whatever. What it does is it brings back the feeling that, ‘I’m in control here.’ It’s just about discipline.’ ” . . . At the same time, Pats GM Brent Parker has dropped 10 pounds . . .

Not much doubt about who is the tough-luck guy in the Red Deer Rebels’ camp. F Jordan Draper, 18, had his throat cut by an errant skateblade Friday and needed a few stitches to close the gash. Draper, who last season went through a knee injury and a broken jaw, is expected back on the ice Saturday. . . . D Zach Stebner, a 17-year-old from Saskatoon, isn’t in Red Deer’s camp. He’s at home with mononucleosis . . .

  © Design byThirteen Letter

Back to TOP