Monday . . .

As expected, the New York Islanders have announced they will hold their 2009 training camp in Saskatoon at Credit Union Centre. That will include two preseason games — Sept. 19 against the Calgary Flames and Sept. 20 against the Edmonton Oilers. . . . Tickets for those two games will go for — gulp! — from $37.50 to $77.50 plus service charges, of course. . . . The Islanders also announced they will play a rookie game — their freshmen against the U of Saskatchewan Huskies — on Sept. 15 at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert.
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The Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League honoured long-time scout Jim Pedersen with a lifetime achievement award on the weekend. Congratulations, Jim. . . . The award was presented by Graham Tuer, who is president of hockey’s Good Guys Club. It wasn’t that long ago when Hockey Regina named a tournament after Tuer, the grand old man of hockey scouts. . . . Jim Pedersen is the father of Regina Pats radio voice Rod Pedersen, while Graham Tuer is the father of former WHL player, coach and GM Al Tuer, who now scouts for the Calgary Flames.
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The Boston Pizza WHL player of the week is F Brayden Schenn of the Brandon Wheat Kings. He had a goal and six assists as the Wheat Kings swept a home-and-home series from the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Dustin Tokarski is the WHL nominee as the ADT CHL goaltender of the week. He was 3-0 with a 1.30 GAA and .957 save percentage.
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Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier has written a story in which he outlines the views of various WHL people on the controversial OHL helmet rule.
The OHL instituted the rule following the death of Don Sanderson, 21, who was injured while playing for the Ontario senior league’s Whitby Dunlops. Sanderson was involved in a fight, fell on his helmetless head, ended up in a coma and never recovered.
Under the OHL rule, a player who takes off his helmet or that of an opponent, or loosens a chinstrap, will be facing a suspension.
Here are what some of those WHL people think . . .
Bob Tory, general manager, Tri-City Americans: “This is an issue we’re going to look at because safety of the players is our first and foremost responsibility. The second most-important thing is to have discussion. But certainly this information in midseason caught a lot of people off-guard.
“I think any rule that’s made is better if all three CHL leagues have the same rule. It’s obvious Ontario is taking the lead on this, and we’re going to monitor what they’re doing, but this is an important-enough issue to bring before the league and the governors.
“To make a good rule, you need to get information and you have to ask questions and talk about them.”
Darrell May, general manager, Chilliwack Bruins: “The league certainly has a position, but I think that these things should be collectively looked at in the off-season.”
Craig Bonner, general manager, Kamloops Blazers: “It’s a tragedy what happened and it’s terrible. But I think you don’t need to react immediately. We need to do research and look into things before a decision is made. Are there points to (the new helmet rule)? Yes, there are. But, as I said, you shouldn't overreact.
“Either way, it’s a tough call. But I like what Milan Lucic said on the radio, that if there was no fighting in the game, he wouldn’t have been noticed. And if the helmet law was in effect, he would have broken his hand 10 different times.”
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A funeral service was held Monday in Winnipeg for Jordan Mistelbacher, the 19-year-old former Everett Silvertips player who was found dead in a suburban Winnipeg home on Jan. 13. The Silvertips were represented at the service by general manager Doug Soetaert and a handful of players, all of whom flew to Winnipeg on Sunday night on owner Bill Yuill’s private jet. Soetaert and the players left Everett following the Silvertips’ 5-4 shootout loss to the visiting Kamloops Blazers.