Monday . . .

Moose Jaw city council has approved the construction of a new facility. Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that city council on Monday “approved the Multiplex Steering Committee’s recommendation that a $61.3 million multiplex be built downtown.” . . . A new facility would feature a 4,500-seat arena and an eight-sheet curling rink. The hockey facility would include an NHL-size ice surface. . . . The Times-Herald also reports that “the committee also recommended that the city spend $19,530,560 above their original commitment of $15M for the completion of the project. That extra $19M would come through a tax increase.” . . . A project manager should be in place by Aug. 1 with the major construction contract to be awarded by Dec. 1. . . . For more, check out the Times-Herald’s website. . . .
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THE MacBETH REPORT: Garth MacBeth, who keeps tabs on things in Europe for us, has a few recent signings. . . .
D Kenton Smith (Calgary) signed with Manchester (UK Elite Ice Hockey League). He spent the past four seasons with Charlotte (ECHL). The playing head coach of Manchester is Tony Hand, who came over from Scotland and played three games for the Victoria Cougars in 1986-87, scoring four goals and four assists. . . . A note about Tony Hand, MBE: Hand, from Scotland, was the first British-born and -raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when Edmonton picked him in the 12th round in 1986. He was brought over by Fraser McColl, the Victoria owner and fellow Scot. Hand was in Cougars’ camp, then went to the Oilers’ camp, and returned to Victoria to play three games before succumbing to homesickness (not to mention a bigger paycheque) and returning home to play for Murrayfield Racers in the British Hockey League, a predecessor of the UK Elite League. I remember him well from the camp as I was with the Cougars then. He was very good and we were all disappointed when he left to return home — he could play. He is still playing (he’ll be 41 in August) and last season, his 25th in the league, he had 24 goals and 63 assists in 61 games to finish eighth in league scoring. Hand was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in June 2004 for his services to hockey in Great Britain. . . . Hand also wrote a book a few years back — Tony Hand: A Life in British Hockey. While not particularly well written and rather dry, it provides some good insight into hockey in Great Britain.

F Vaclav Varada (Tacoma/Kelowna) signed with Vitkovice (Czech Extraliga). He had 12 goals and 20 assists with Langnau (Swiss National League A) last season. . . . D Jame Pollock (Seattle) signed with HK MVD Balashikha Moscow (Continental Hockey League). He split time with Hershey (AHL) and CSKA Moscow (Russia Superliga) last season, getting four goals and six assists in 22 games with CSKA. . . . F Pavel Brendl (Calgary) signed with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (Continental Hockey League). Brendl had 31 goals and 24 assists in 54 games with Brynäs (Sweden Elitserien) last season. . . . Philadelphia F Scott Hartnell (Prince Albert) has bought an interest in KalPa Kuopio (Finland SM-Liiga). Hartnell is one of 18 new investors who subscribed a total of 400,000 euros in KalPa’s new share issue. The two main owners of KalPa are current Philadelphia D Kimmo Timonen and former Philadelphia F Sami Kapanen, who also is the president of the club.
Milan Vipers have folded for what appears to be financial reasons. As a result, D Justin Kurtz (Brandon), F Shay Stephenson (Red Deer), F Pat Iannone (Kootenay/Tri-City/Medicine Hat), and F Blake Evans (Spokane/Tri-City/Regina) have been released. . . . F Eric Johansson (Tri-City) signed a two-year contract with Leksand (Sweden Allsvenskan). He had four goals and nine assists in 47 games with Swedish Elitserien champs HV71 Jönköping last season. He holds dual Swedish-Canadian citizenship. . . . G Davis Parley (Kamloops) signed with Nottingham (UK Elite). He was with South Carolina (ECHL) last season. . . . D Mark Ardelan (Brandon/Vancouver/Prince Albert) signed with Lukko Rauma (Finland SM-Liiga). He was with Wilkes Barre/Scranton (AHL) last season.
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RUMOUR MILL: Barry Melrose, the former WHL and NHL player and coach who speculation has as the next head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, apparently is working on putting together a coaching staff. Just in case, you understand. . . . Melrose will be named head coach once new ownership, headed up by former WHLers Oren Koules and Len Barrie, is approved by the NHL board of governors, something that should happen later this week. . . . Former WHLer Wes Walz, who retired from the Minnesota Wild last season, is likely to be on Melrose’s staff. . . . Regina Pats head coach Curtis Hunt called Craig Hartsburg, the new head coach of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, to offer up congratulations. The two worked together with Canada’s national junior team program the last two years, twice bringing home the gold. Of course, the fact that Hartsburg will be filling out his staff was never mentioned. . . . The AHL’s Springfield Falcons will name Jeff Truitt their head coach at a Tuesday news conference. Truitt, a former coach with the Kelowna Rockets, was an assistant with the Falcons last season. They are affiliated with the Edmonton Oilers. . . . The Oilers have made it official — Kelly Buchberger, the Falcons' head coach last season, has been added to the NHL team's coaching staff, while Rob Daum's one-year deal wasn't extended. You have to wonder if Daum would become a candidate for the Kamloops Blazers' head-coaching position, or perhaps he's in line to join head coach Todd McLellan with the San Jose Sharks. McLellan and Daum both have worked with the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Kevin McClelland, another former WHL head coach, also is available. He resigned last week as director of player operations and head coach of the Central league's Memphis-based Mississippi RiverKings. He had been with them for three seasons. He left with a regular-season record of 100-77-15. The 15? They were ties.
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JUNIOR JOTTINGS: Three members of the Spokane Chiefs — forwards Drayson Bowman, Tyler Johnson and Mitch Wahl — have been invited to attend the 2008 USA Hockey national junior evaluation camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. Also attending will be D Jonathon Blum (Vancouver Giants), C Colin Long (Kelowna Rockets) and C Jim O’Brien (Seattle Thunderbirds). . . . The camp runs from Aug. 1 through Aug. 9. Jay Varady, the Everett Silvertips‚ associate coach, will be working that camp. . . . You won’t find much about the NHL draft on this blog because others do it a lot better than I could. For starters, check out Mike Remmerde at nhldraftnotes.blogspot.com. There’s a link over there on the left. . . . D Dylan Chapman, who completed his WHL eligibility with the Chilliwack Bruins last season, has decided to attend the U of Regina and play for the Cougars. . . . The Tri-City Americans have signed G Drew Owsley, 17. Owsley, 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, is from Lethbridge. He was 15-2-6 with a 1.87 GAA with the midget AAA Lethbridge Y’s Men Titans. . . . The Americans also have released the schedule for their preseason tournament. The tournament will run Sept. 4-7 and will include all five U.S. Division teams. Visit Tri-City’s website for the schedule. . . . The Everett Silvertips’ preseason tournament, Aug. 29-31, also will include Tri-City, Portland, Chilliwack and Spokane.