THE COACHING GAME: The AHL’s Rochester Americans, who are affiliated with the NHL’s Florida Panthers, are in the market for a head coach, what with Randy Cunneyworth having signed on as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers. Kevin Oklobzija, who covers the Americans for the Rockester Democrat and Chronicle, has done up a speculative list of candidates on his blog, pointing out that while the fans are hoping for a John Paddock, Ted Nolan or Bob Hartley, they are more likely to get a lesser name. Someone, Oklobzija writes, like Dean Chynoweth, who is presently the GM and head coach of the Swift Current Broncos. . . . According to Oklobzija, Chuck Weber of the ECHL-champion Cincinnati Cyclones is the favourite to land the job. But Oklobzija lists former Brandon Wheat Kings F Derek Laxdal, now head coach of the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, and Chynoweth as candidates. Of Chynoweth, he writes: “Has been coach and GM with the team since 2004 and is willing to make the move to pro hockey. Former defenceman for the Bruins and Islanders (plus plenty of AHL time with Capital District and Providence) in the 1990s.”. . . And, yes, Marc Habscheid’s name has been mentioned in the rumour mill but that seems rather unlikely, what with the emphasis he has put on family of late. Habscheid has pointed out repeatedly that his son has moved 10 times in 15 years, something he would prefer not to have to go through again.
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THE SCHEDULING GAME: Why does the WHL so often shoot itself in the foot when it comes to keeping its fans informed? That was the case again last in the week with the manner in which the WHL handled -- or didn't handle -- the Western Conference scheduling meeting and its aftermath. While Kamloops Blazers general manager Craig Bonner said all team officials were hit with a gag order following the July 24 meeting in Kelowna, one other GM said no such thing existed. Obviously, there was some confusion and that was very much in evidence the next day. A few teams issued their schedules, but said they were tentative and wouldn’t be final until Aug. 7. One team informed its fans only about its opening game and said the final schedule would be released early next week. . . . In the meantime, fans and parents of players are trying to book vacations and time off in order to get to games but they can’t make a move without knowing to where they’ll be traveling. One parent, knowing his son would be playing at home Sept. 19, e-mailed me and asked if I knew where the team would be playing the following night. Sorry, training camps are less than a month away and regular-season play opens in less than two months. But there isn’t anything I can do to help. . . . Gag order? Gag me with a spoon!
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THE MacBETH REPORT: F Shay Stephenson (Red Deer) signed with Krefeld (DEL). He had 25 assists and 20 assists in 34 games for Milan (Italy Serie A) last season. He was released when Milan folded earlier this summer for financial reasons. . . . F Brent Ottman (Prince Albert) signed with EHC Sonthofen (Germany Bayernliga). He played with Nipawin (SJHL) last season. . . . D Ivan Baranka (Everett) signed with Spartak Moscow (Continental Hockey League). Baranka was with Hartford (AHL) and got into one game with the New York Rangers. F Ondrej Fiala (Everett/Saskatoon) also may be on the verge of signing with Spartak Moscow.
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One of the Western Conference teams that did release its schedule was the Seattle Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds, who will open the season with a Sept. 19-20 doubleheader in Prince George against the Cougars, will play their final home-opener in Seattle on Oct. 4 against the Spokane Chiefs. Seattle will play 26 of its first 34 games on the road before playing its first game in its new home – the 6,025-seat Kent Events Center – in late December or early January. “The official date scheduled for completion of the Kent Events Center is Friday, Jan. 2,” Thunderbirds’ vice-president Colin Campbell said in a statement. “We are pointing towards the last week in December as to when we could open the doors and play hockey at the Kent Events Center. We booked Dec. 27, 28, and 30 in the KeyArena between Christmas and New Year’s with the idea that games on these days could be relocated to the Kent Events Center if it is completed at that time.”. . . The Thunderbirds have home games scheduled for Dec. 27 (Portland), Dec. 28 (Spokane), Dec. 30 (Chilliwack), Jan. 3 (Everett) and Jan. 4 (Kamloops). I’m betting that the opener in the new rink DOES NOT take place on Dec. 30 or Jan. 4. . . . A Thunderbirds’ press release also revealed a spike in ticket sales after the club took part in Kent Cornucopia Days in early July. According to that release: “Results of the spike in ticket sales thus far include: 70 per cent of the luxury suites in the Kent Events Center have been sold; there are fewer than 250 club seats available in the building; and, Rows 1 and 2, which are the very popular glass seats, are completely sold out. There is also a very limited number of premium seats remaining at center ice.”
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Mike Babcock, head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, recently had the Stanley Cup in Saskatoon and area. While there, Spokane Chiefs head coach Bill Peters, who once worked under Babcock in Spokane, dropped by with the Memorial Cup. . . . There is an entertaining story about all the happenings right here. . . . More than anything, this one story explains why they play the game. When all is said and done, sitting around a campfire with hockey people and with two trophies, well, that about says it all. . . . Nice to see Ken Juba, a friend from way back, involved in the Saskatoon party, too.
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The Chiefs have announced that Ray Dudra, who scouted for them for 18 years, the first 15 as head scout, is moving on. Don’t be surprised if Dudra ends up as a western scout with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. . . . Dudra helped the Chiefs get to four WHL finals and win two Memorial Cups. That’s a pretty good track record.
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I must say I chuckled when I stumbled on this gem while cruising around: “ALTOONA -- 18th and 19th Century English poet Edward Young best described procrastination as ‘the thief of time’ and the Eastern League's Altoona Curve (AA/Pittsburgh Pirates) admittedly have been robbing time for months with their planning for the previously-announced, but not-yet-scheduled ‘Salute to Procrastination Night’ at Blair County Ballpark.”
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James Shewaga, the sports editor at the Brandon Sun, caught up with Dave Semenko during the Wheat Kings’ reunion that has captivated the Wheat City this weekend. Here is one paragraph from Shewaga’s story:
“A lot of the stuff, to tell people now, I have to actually tone it down to make it believable,” said Semenko, who took to the boxing ring back in 1983 to spar with legendary Muhammad Ali in a three-round charity boxing match. “We had a number of brawls, especially in Flin Flon ... having the fans come on the ice and trying to get into it, where you had to leave the building with an RCMP escort back to the hotel.”
Ahhh, yes, those were the days . . .
