Tuesday. . . .

It turns out that Garth MacBeth, our man with an eye on Europe, also has an eye trained on the Far East. He reports today that Nippon Paper Cranes (based in Kushiro, Japan) of the Asia Hockey League have signed G Jamie McLennan (Spokane/Lethbridge) and F Tyson Nash (Kamloops). They join D Joel Dyck (brother of Lethbridge head coach Michael Dyck) in the Cranes lineup. . . .

Back to Europe, MacBeth reports that F Mike Maneluk (Brandon) has moved from Basel (Swiss NL A) to Davos (Swiss NL A) and that F Cam Severson (Kamloops/Swift Current/Lethbridge/Prince Albert/Spokane) has gone from Straubing (Germany DEL) to Linz (Austria Erste Bank Liga, the top league), where Martin Hohenberger (Victoria/Prince George/Lethbridge) plays. The assistant coach in Linz is former Spokane Flyer/Regina Pats F Rick Nasheim. . . .

The Saskatoon Blades will be without C Chris Durand, 20, for up to six weeks with a shoulder strain. He was injured during Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Broncos in Swift Current. Apparently, he will miss at least two weeks and could be gone for up to six weeks. . . . Durand has told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that he was injured when hit from behind by Swift Current F Erik Felde, who was not penalized on the play. . . . With 17 points, Durand shares the Blades‚ scoring lead with Justin McCrae. . . . The Blades will get D John Flatters back for Wednesday‚s game in Moose Jaw. He has served his two-game suspension. . . . Saskatoon D Jyri Niemi (torn cartilage in a wrist) has received a cortisone shot. He has missed 12 games.