Wednesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: Twins F Michal (Medicine Hat/Kootenay) and F Roman Psurny (Medicine Hat) signed one-year plus option-year contracts with Usti nad Labem (Czech 1.Liga). Michal had two goals and six assists in 36 games with Zlin (Czech Extraliga) and two goals and three assists in four games while on loan to Dukla Jihlava (Czech 1.Liga). Roman had three goals and one assist in 30 games with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Extraliga) and four goals and nine assists in 11 games with Třebíč (Czech 1.Liga). . . . D Adam Knight, who played four games with Moose Jaw in 1999-2000, signed with the Hull Stingrays (UK Elite), no terms announced. He had two goals and two assists in 58 games split between Colorado and New Mexico of the Central Hockey League this season. . . . F Justin Kelly (Prince Albert/Spokane/Saskatoon) signed a one-year contract extension with Bietigheim-Bissingen (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He was third in 2.Bundesliga scoring this season with 26 goals and 37 assists in 48 games for Bietigheim-Bissingen.
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JUST NOTES: Dave Lowry, the head coach of the Calgary Hitmen, has been named head coach of the Canadian under-18 team that will play in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament in Aug. 11-15 in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Canada is the defending champion. Assistant coaches are Mark Holick, the head coach of the Kootenay Ice, and Chris DePiero, the GM/head coach of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. Former NHLer Ron Tugnutt will served as goaltending consultant. . . . The AHL announced Wednesday that Sirius XM Radio and XM Canada is carrying some Calder Cup playoff games. The AHL is down to its final four, with the Manitoba Moose holding a 3-0 lead over the Aeros going into Game 4 tonight (Wednesday) in Houston and the Hershey Bears and Providence Bruins tied 1-1 going into Game 3 on Friday in Providence. . . . The Chicago Blackhawks have signed F Kyle Beach to a three-year NHL contract. Beach, who was dealt from the Everett Silvertips to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in January, was the 11th overall pick in the 2008 NHL draft. If Beach, 19, doesn’t make the Blackhawks next season, he will be returned to Lethbridge. . . . Darryl Porter, the interim GM of the Chilliwack Bruins, has told Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress that he has a three-man shortlist as he searches to replace fired head coach Jim Hiller. Porter said he would like to have things wrapped up “in the next couple of weeks.” . . . The Bruins have hired Chilliwack native Paul Nicolls as their strength and conditioning coach. Nicolls, 33, played a bit in the WHL with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Swift Current Broncos (1991-93).
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Brian Burke is my favourite person in the entire sporting world. Why? Because he gets it. He understands better than anyone that it’s all a game, and that the game is the entertainment business. At the end of the day, he has something to sell and that’s what he is doing – selling. And he understands the role of the media as the messenger in all of this.
Here are some of Burke’s latest pronouncements, courtesy of Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress . . .
ON THE FUTURE OF THE BRUINS: “We have been approached about selling the team numerous times. This team is not for sale. We put this team in Chilliwack because we believe in the market, and we believe the market has embraced the team. We’re staying right where we are.”
ON THE RUMOURS: “I don’t know where the rumours are coming from. People call me and ask me if the team is for sale and I say no. They still want to buy the team, so they leak it to the media that we talked. Technically, that’s true. They just leave out the fact that it was a 12 second conversation that ended with a profanity-laced ‘don’t call me back again.’”
ON FAN SUPPORT: “We’ve got to put a better product on the ice. We’ve had great fan support and we haven’t rewarded it yet. I don’t blame any attrition that’s taken place on a lack of support. I think it’s time for us to deliver for the fans.”
ON THE CALGARY FLAMES MOVING THEIR AHL AFFILIATE TO ABBOTSFORD: “I’ve spent a big chunk of my adult life living in British Columbia. I’m pretty sure the people there don’t care about the Calgary Flames or their farm team. I can’t remember anyone ever stopping me on the street to ask me, ‘Hey, how did the Calgary Flames farm team do last night?’
“The AHL and WHL are different products and I think the AHL is a phenomenal product. But look at the beautiful building we play in and look at our ticket prices. You’re getting a look at guys who are going to be NHL stars, and their enthusiasm is great. That’s why I got involved as an owner, and that’s why I’m staying in as an owner.”