Monday's musings . . .

A source confirmed Monday that former WHL official Steve Kozari will be a fulltime NHL referee during the upcoming season. In fact, Kozari plans on living one more season in B.C., and then will move to Chicago . . .

C Jim O’Brien, who was selected 29th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the NHL’s 2007 draft, will play for the Seattle Thunderbirds this season. The Senators have signed O’Brien to a three-year, entry-level contract. The 18-year-old O’Brien, who is from Maplewood, Minn., was selected by the Kamloops Blazers in the 2004 bantam draft, 151st overall. O’Brien joined USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program and then chose to attend the U of Minnesota last season, where he had 15 points in 43 games. He was the youngest player in NCAA Division I hockey last season. He was dropped from the Blazers’ list and added by Seattle . . .

It also has been confirmed that Finnish G Riku Helenius, 19, will play for the Thunderbirds this season. Helenius was a first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL’s 2006 draft . . .

Jade Polonich, the daugther of former WHL GM and coach Dennis Polonich will play in the Canadian Women’s Open in Edmonton. Jade, an amateur, shot an even-par 72 Monday and earned one of the last four spots in the field. She will be one of 15 Canadians in the Open. The tournament opens Thursday at the Royal Mayfair . . .

Ken Andrusiak, who spent the last three seasons as head coach of the Kelowna-based major midget Okanagan Rockets, has been named an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Westside Warriors. Westside’s coaching staff also includes head coach Mark Howell and assistants Evan Marble and Larry Robinson. Robinson also serves as the Kamloops Blazers’ goaltending coach . . .

C Brandon Thompson, a Blazers’ prospect from North Vancouver, will miss training camp after breaking a thumb while playing shinny on the weekend. He will be out four to six weeks and likely will join the BCHL’s Langley Hornets when healthy. Thompson, who turns 17 on Nov. 10, played last season for the major midget Vancouver-North West Giants. The Blazers had expected Thompson to challenge for a roster spot, along with C Paul Van de Velde, 17, from Mariapolis, Man. . . .

The San Antonio Rampage, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes, will introduce their head coach today (Tuesday). As reported here Saturday, it is expected to be Greg Ireland, whose contract as head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins wasn’t renewed when the Detroit Red Wings re-wrote their affiliation agreement there . . .

Regan Bartel, the voice of the Kelowna Rockets, reports on his blog that former WHLer Ryan Cuthbert is joining the Rockets’ coaching staff. Cuthbert, who captained the Rockets during his WHL career, will work home games and some B.C. Division road games, according to Bartel. . . . Bartel also reports that A.J. Jakubec will be the first radio voice of the expansion Edmonton Oil Kings. Jakubec, who is from Edmonton, had been calling Ottawa 67’s games on The Team 1200 in the nation’s capital. Jakubec worked as Bartel’s analyst on Rockets broadcasts in 2000-01. . . . Bartel also reports that Dan Marshall, the radio voice of the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, is moving to Nanaimo where he’ll call the play for the BCHL’s Clippers.