Thursday . . .

As was reported here a while back, the two games between WHL all-stars and a touring Russian side will be played in Cranbrook (Nov. 28) and Medicine Hat (Nov. 29). . . . Gotta wonder how many players off the Russian team that is playing Canada this week will be on that team? . . .

The quote of the week comes from a story by the Saskatoon StarPhoenix’s Cory Wolfe. Travis Toomey, a defenceman who is in camp with the Blades, went to a power-skating school in Regina over the summer and lived with Saskatoon GM/head coach Lorne Molleken. “He made me do the dishes,” a smiling Toomey, 17, told Wolfe. “I hope he doesn’t tell my mom that I know how to do them.” . . .

C T.J. Galiardi, 19, is expected to be with the Calgary Hitmen on Friday when training camp opens. The Hitmen have acquired his rights from the Portland Winter Hawks for a 2008 third-round bantam draft pick. Galiardi, who is from Calgary, had 31 points in 30 games at Dartmouth College last season. In 2005-06, he had 56 points in 56 games with the AJHL's Calgary Royals. He was selected 55th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL‚s 2007 draft. . . . I was told tonight that other teams tried to get involved in some trade talk on Galiardi but were told he would only play in Calgary. I also was told that he may have signed a contract with a European team. So we'll have to see if he reports to the Hitmen. . . . The trade puts Portland back in the third round of the 2008 draft after the Winter Hawks gave up a third-round pick a day earlier to get D Brock Cornish, 18, from the Tri-City Americans. . . .

The Saskatoon Blades have added two names to their coaching staff. John Stevenson has come on board as a goaltender consultant, and former NHL defenceman Rich Pilon is working as an assistant coach. Also on GM/head coach Lorne Molleken's staff are full-time assistant David Struch and part-timers Jerome Engele and Dave Chartier. . . .

Portland has signed F Aaron McGill, 18, to a WHL contract. What’s the big deal? McGill is a native of Salem, the state capital, and was in camp as a non-drafted, non-listed invitee. He is a product of Portland’s minor hockey system; in fact, he becomes the third player from the Portland metro area to make the team’s roster. The others? Paul Gaustad, who is from Gresham, Ore., and Chip Petrino, a native of Vancouver, Wash., who now is in camp with the Chilliwack Bruins. . . .

The Kamloops Blazers made it official Thursday — they have released C Brady Mason, 20, who played with them for the last two seasons. Mason, who is from Westbank, B.C., is expected to join the BCHL’s Westside Warriors. . . . The move leaves Kamloops with four 20-year-olds — G Dustin Butler, D Ryan Bender, D Ryan White and C Brock Nixon. . . .

Kamloops also announced the signings of seven players to WHL contracts — D Josh Caron, 16, of Campbell River, B.C.; G Jon Groenheyde, 16, of Surrey, B.C.; D Darcy Huisman, 18, of Smithers, B.C.; D Daniel Medland-Marchand, 15, Kelowna; F Matt Riley, 16, Coquitlam, B.C.; F Jake Trask, 16, Saskatoon; and F Richard Vanderhoek, 16, Langley, B.C. . . . With the earlier signings of C Brendan Ranford, 15, C Jimmy Bubnick, 16, and G James Priestner, 16, the Blazers have nine players ages 15 and 16 under contract. . . . Of those nine players, all but two were bantam draft picks. The exceptions? Huisman, who spent last season with the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings and will play with the Blazers this season, and Groenheyde, who has been the most consistent of the four goaltenders in camp. . . .

The Blazers are taking a look at LW Matt Wray, who will turn 18 on Nov. 22. He’s from Qualicum Beach, B.C., and spent last season with the BCHL’s Powell River Paper Kings. According to Kamloops GM/head coach, Wray goes 6-2 1/2 and weighs 212 pounds. He had two points and 88 penalty minutes in 46 games with Powell River last season. The Blazers will have Wray, who had been in camp with the Prince George Cougars, on their roster for this weekend’s tournament in Edmonton. . . .

Meant to scalp — that’s newspaperish for steal — this from Alan Caldwell’s blog yesterday and it slipped through a crack somewhere. D Austin Madaisky, Calgary’s first pick in the 2007 bantam draft, won’t be in camp thanks to a broken arm. . . . As well, veteran D Dan Mercer fell while skating Monday and broke his right wrist. He is out indefinitely. . . . And if you’re wondering who’s where in the WHL right now, check out the rosters at Small Thoughts At Large. The link is at the left of this page.

The WHL has adopted a handful of rule changes to keep its game consistent with the NHL:
1. The home team will have the choice of shooting first in shootouts;
2. No more gross misconducts. Anything that was worthy of a gross misconduct now will result in a game misconduct;
3. A penalty shot now may be awared if a player is fouled on a clear breakaway anywhere between his defensive zone and the offensive zone. Previously, a fouled player had to be on the attacking side of the centre ice red line before a penalty shot could be awarded;
4. Referees now are able to hand out a major and game misconduct if an injury results from an act of interference. Previously only a minor penalty could be handed out for interference;
5. All faceoffs now must be conducted at one of the ice surface’s nine faceoff dots. Previously, faceoffs could be held anywhere on unmarked ice; and,
6. There won’t be any more stick measurements.
The only one here that is worth a raised eyebrow may be the last one. But the NHL went to a 3/4-inch curve maximum, so the WHL did the same last season and there was only one stick measure called all season. So rather than order all new stick-measuring devices, the decision was made to do away with the rule. Which means snipers no longer have to have two sticks — the illegal one for use in the first 50 minutes and the legal one for the last 10 minutes, overtime and shootout.