Yes, that is former NHLer Claude Lemieux (second from right) in the photo above.
And, yes, that is Chris Collins, who used to work for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, on the far right.
Collins now is general manager of the Asian League’s China Sharks, whose roster includes, yes, Claude Lemieux, at the young age of 43.
The China Sharks are owned by Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment (SVSE), the parent company of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. San Jose sent Junior Sharks coach Derek Eisler to Shanghai to serve as the China Sharks’ head coach. Collins is the general manager.
According to Collins, in an email to Tri-City Americans radio voice Craig West: “Our CEO Greg Jamison, San Jose GM Doug Wilson and CFO Charlie Faas got Claude for us to play and teach for a few games.
“My imports, Chinese (players) and coaching staff are just amazed at his
conditioning, skill, desire and character. The impression and example
he is having leaves me speechless, simply amazing!”
Included on the Sharks’ roster are former WHLers like RW Jason Beeman, G Wade Flaherty, C Kevin Korol and LW Adam Taylor. Also there is D Steve McKenna, all 6-foot-9 of him.
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"(The Detroit Red Wings) are the model of every organization. Kenny Holland is the best general manager in the NHL. They're an aggressive team, but they have stability and don't panic, and I think that's great for other organizations to see. I think they are one of the five best organizations in the world in sports."
That was then-Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Barry Melrose on Thursday, before he was done in by a lack of stability and a major panic attack by someone in the NHL team's front office.
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Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald has weighed in on The Loser Point Debate. You can what he thinks about all of this right here.
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Players through major junior hockey are celebrating today. That is because of this CHL release:
“The Canadian Hockey League today announced its new corporate partnership with Old Dutch Foods. The two-year agreement will also see Old Dutch Foods become a partner with the three regional leagues of the CHL; the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.”
This has to mean free potato chips in all the dressing rooms and coaches munching on the bench. . . . but do the referees and linesmen get any?
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JUNIOR JOTTINGS: The Vancouver Giants honoured head coach Don Hay prior to Friday night’s game with the visiting Kelowna Rockets. Hay picked up his 400th WHL coaching victory earlier this season. . . . Don Nachbaur, the head coach of the Tri-City Americans, has 397 victories going into a visit to the Portland Winter Hawks tonight. . . . Attendance in Vancouver on Friday night was 11,555. . . . Giants C Evander Kane had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 victory, running his point streak to 19 games. He has at least one point in every game the Giants have played this season. . . . Toronto Maple Leafs D Luke Schenn, a product of the Rockets, was in attendance in Vancouver. . . . Dave Sheldon, the Giants’ play-by-play man, reports that Vancouver Canucks’ GM Mike Gillis was in attendance, seated with Len Barrie, co-owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Barrie’s son, Tyson, is a defenceman with the Rockets. . . . One of the referees in Vancouver was Dominick Bedard, who is in his fourth season as a QMJHL on-ice official. He’ll turn 28 on Nov. 22. . . . Former WHLer Ryan DePape, 20, has gone home to Winnipeg rather than report to the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs after being involved in a trade earlier this week. The Bulldogs dealt F James Kerr, 18, to the Vernon Vipers for DePape and good ol’ future considerations. DePape started the season in camp with the Regina Pats. . . . Regina had RW Cody Hanson (shoulder) back in the lineup Friday night as it fell 5-3 to the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. He had missed 10 games. . . . Regina F Rudolf Cerveny, who went into Friday leading the WHL at plus-20, was a healthy scratch. . . .
The Medicine Hat Tigers are 12-0-0-0 all-time against Edmonton after a 3-2 shootout victory over the visiting Oil Kings. . . . The Tigers were without C Wacey Hamilton (shoulder). He’ll be out for up to six weeks. . . . Vancouver D Mike Berube (broken arm) had surgery Friday and a plate was inserted into his injured arm. He will be out until after Christmas. . . . The Brandon Wheat Kings lost D Colby Robak (shoulder) in the first period of a 2-1 loss to the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Friday. He is to be re-evaluated Saturday. . . . The Kootenay Ice lost F Steele Boomer (concussion) in the first period of a 4-2 victory over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes.
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