Wednesday. . . .

D Lyon Messier is on the move again. Messier, 20, began this season in the camp of the Edmonton Oil Kings. He then moved on to the Kelowna Rockets. He didn’t make it through the 20-year-old cutdown date, however, and joined the OHL’s Erie Otters. Now, after a stint there, he has joined the USHL’s Lincoln Stars. . . . Yes, he is the son of former NHL star Mark Messier. . . .

Big news from our European correspondent -- his name, by the way, is Garth McBeth and the Vancouver Giants scout actually is based in the Seattle area -- as he reports that F Nathan Barrett (Tri-City/Lethbridge) has signed with Visp in the Swiss National League B. Also on that team is F Terry Yake (Brandon). However, it has been announced that Yake tested positive for a banned substance during a random drug test in September. Yake has requested that his B sample be tested. Here is Yake’s statement:
“Since early 2007, I have been suffering from several very personal problems affecting my mental and physical health as well as my ability to fully function as a husband and father. I kept these issues private for some time, but under advisement of close friends, I sought tests and medical help.
“After being diagnosed with Hypogonadism, my personal physician advised me that the only treatment for this condition is Hormone Replacement Therapy and prescribed me a non-invasive topical cream (1% testosterone) that could balance my low hormone levels, allowing me to return to normal.
“The treatment has improved my health, but resulted in a positive doping test.
“I have the best doctor(s) and I have always had complete trust in their opinions and expertise. I was professionally advised that the treatment will have no performance enhancing effects.
“I am confident that the competent authorities within Swiss Hockey and Swiss Olympic will acknowledge that my treatment fulfills the criteria of a Therapeutic Use Exception and that I have not committed any doping offence.
“My health and love for my wife and children are the most important things in my life. I cannot allow that to suffer, even for my devotion to the game of hockey. I still have extreme faith that my effort to balance my health and personal life will not end my playing days and life here in this community, which my family and I love.
“Given the nature of my pathology, I hope that the hockey community will understand my reluctance to disclose the facts earlier. For that, I apologize, to my fans. Finally I thank my friends, teammates and my family for their invaluable support.”

Meanwhile, Manchester (British Elite League) has released F KC Timmons (Tri-City). . . . D Jakub Cutta (Swift Current) transferred from Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk to Traktor Chelyabinsk in the Russian Superliga. . . . G Scott Langkow (Portland) signed with Metallurg Novokuznetsk (Russian Superliga). The one recognizable teammate in Novokuznetsk is Sergei Krivokrasov (Chicago/Nashville/Anaheim/Minnesota). . . .

And more from our man with both eyes on Europe: Former NHL D Jere Karalahti was arrested at practice in Finland on Tuesday as part of a big national drug investigation involving large scale cocaine and amphetamine trafficking. He is currently playing for Kärpät Oulu and it has been reported that his contract with Kärpät, the defending Finnish league champs, is very restrictive – no drugs, no alcohol, regular testing by team officials and doctors. He is currently in custody in Espoo, a suburb of Helsinki, as the Espoo police have been driving this investigation. . . . Today our man reports that no charges have been laid and that Karalahti is undergoing a second day of questioning.