Monday, August 4, 2008

Monday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: D Deron Quint (Seattle) signed a three-year contract extension with Eisbären Berlin (Germany DEL). He had 21 goals and 30 assists in 56 games with Eisbären last season.
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F Brock Bradford, who was selected by the Kamloops Blazers with the 41st pick of the 2002 WHL bantam draft, will be returning to Boston College for his senior year. In fact, the Boston Globe reports that Bradford will be the Eagles’ captain. Bradford has twice broken the same arm while at Boston College and has played only 87 games over the last three seasons, during which he has 67 points. "Just a freak accident," Eagles head coach Jerry York told the Globe of the multiple breaks. "He broke the humerus bone, then broke it again. No connection to the first break. (Bruins orthopedist Thomas) Gill looked at it, and he came the same conclusion as our doctors at St. Elizabeth's. It was a freak accident." . . . The Boston Bruins took Bradford in the seventh round of the NHL’s 2005 draft but he has yet to sign.
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THE COACHING GAME: You read it here a few days ago, and the Detroit Red Wings confirmed it Monday — former Brandon Wheat Kings defenceman Brad McCrimmon, who did a stint as the Saskatoon Blades’ head coach, has signed on as an assistant coach under Mike Babcock. McCrimmon had been the associate coach with the Atlanta Thrashers, who twice passed him by when shopping for a head coach. McCrimmon, the older brother of Brandon owner/GM/head coach Kelly McCrimmon, got a three-year deal, as did Paul MacLean, the other Detroit assistant coach. The Wings also signed Keith McKittrick, late of Michigan State, as video coach. . . . The Los Angeles Kings firmed up their coaching staff by dumping assistant coaches Dave Lewis — who has had a rough ride since leaving Detroit — and Mike Johnston, hiring Mark Hardy and promoting Jamie Kompon and Nelson Emerson. Hardy, Kompon, Emerson and goaltender coach Bill Ranford will work under head coach Terry Murray. Hardy spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, while Kompon, who has extensive video experience, was with the Kings as an assistant coach/director of player development. Emerson has been part of the Kings’ staff for two seasons.
The AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have named Dan Bylsma as their head coach. He has been on their staff as an assistant coach for two seasons. . . .
The AHL’s Portland Pirates, who now are affiliated with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres after being hooked up with the Anaheim Ducks, will keep Kevin Dineen as their head coach. . . . The AHL’s Rochester Americans have yet to hire a head coach. They are affiliated with the NHL’s Florida Panthers. Jacques Martin, the Panthers’ GM, is to start interviewing this week. . . . Gerry Fleming has been added to the coaching staff of the AHL’s Springfield Falcons. He’ll work as an assistant coach under head coach Jeff Truitt, the former head coach of the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Chris Botta, over at nyipointblank.blogspot.com, reports that Islanders GM Garth Snow will interview Marc Crawford and Gerard Gallant early this week. Snow already has chatted up Mike Sullivan, Scott Gordon, John Tortorella, Paul Maurice and Bob Hartley. Hey, what about Marc Habscheid?