Friday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: D Deron Quint (Seattle) signed a one-year contract with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (KHL). He had 16 goals and 32 assists in 52 games with Eisbären Berlin (Germany DEL) this season. . . . F Jeff Smith (Red Deer) signed a one-year contract extension with Nijmegen Devils (Netherlands). He had three goals and 11 assists in 43 games with the Tigers this season. . . . F Oleg Saprykin (Seattle) was traded Friday by CSKA Moscow (KHL) to Dynamo Moscow (KHL). He had 17 goals and 18 assists in 51 games with CSKA this season.
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THE COACHING GAME: The Abbotsford Heat, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, has named former WHL defenceman Jim Playfair as head coach. He was the Flames’ head coach in 2006-07 and an associate coach under Mike Keenan that last two seasons. The Heat is relocating from Moline, Ill., where it operated as the Quad City Flames. . . . Former WHL defenceman Ryan McGill, who did a stint as head coach of the Kootenay Ice, was the Baby Flames’ head coach this season. He is expected to be on the bench with the NHL Flames, in one role or another, when another season rolls around.
The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped Greg Gilbert, the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on Friday. Gilbert had been the head coach there for three seasons. . . . At the same time, the Leafs told Marlies assistants Joe Paterson and Jim Hughes they are free to look for work elsewhere. Gilbert has major junior experience with the OHL’s Mississauga IceDogs. Hmmm! Might he be a fit with the Everett Silvertips? . . . Former Everett head coach Kevin Constantine, now head coach of the AHL’s Houston Aeros, is to meet with Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher at some point in the near future. The Aeros are the Wild’s AHL affiliate. The Wild is looking for a head coach to replace Jacques Lemaire.
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JUST NOTES: The QMJHL holds its annual draft Saturday in Moncton, where its annual meeting began Wednesday. On Friday, the league’s 18 teams combined to make more than 30 — yes, 30! — trades. You may check them out right here. . . . The Tri-City Americans have signed C Connor Rankin, the seventh overall selection in the 2009 bantam draft. The Americans selected Rankin after moving up through a deal with the Prince George Cougars. Rankin, 6-foot-0 and 185 pounds, spent this season with the bantam AAA North Shore Winterhawks, earning 71 points and 54 penalty minutes in 47 games. Rankin will attend the Americans’ rookie camp that opens Aug. 26. Main camp begins Aug. 30.
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The AHL’s Calder Cup final is back on Sirius XM Radio and XM Canada on Sunday. The Manitoba Moose and Hershey Bears are 1-1 in the best-of-seven set with Game 3 in Hershey on Saturday night. Game 4 is in Hershey on Sunday and will be on Sirius XM Radio and XM Canada, beginning at 5 p.m. ET.