Sunday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: F Kiel McLeod (Kelowna) signed a one-year contract with Villach (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 29 goals and 22 assists in 41 games with Cortina (Italy Serie A) last season.
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A source told me early Sunday that Rich Preston is close to signing on as general manager and head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Preston, who coached the Regina Pats for two seasons, had been on the coaching staff of the Calgary Flames for six seasons but lost his job when GM Darryl Sutter cleaned house, dumping head coach Mike Keenan and most of the coaches. . . . “We’ve been talking,” Preston told the Regina Leader-Post’s Rob Vanstone later Sunday, “but there’s nothing concrete yet.”
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An interesting note jumped out at me from a piece by The Globe and Mail’s Eric Duhatschek, who wrote: “For all of his skating ability and his knack for making a good first pass, (Jay) Bouwmeester has never played a playoff game, in either the NHL or in junior.” . . . Bouwmeester played three seasons (1999-02) with the Medicine Hat Tigers. In his seven-season pro career, his only playoff experience has been 18 games with the Chicago Wolves in 2004-05, which was the lockout season. . . .
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With the NHL draft over and done with, players are starting to sign free-agent tryout contracts or agreeing to attend prospect camps.
The Minnesota Wild wants to take a look at Kamloops Blazers D Giffen Nyren, 20, while C C.J. Stretch, 20, will get a gander from the San Jose Sharks. . . .
F Cass Mappin, who turns 19 on Dec. 20, was ranked 73rd among draft-eligible North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting but wasn’t drafted. Mappin, 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, will go to rookie camp with the Columbus Blue Jackets. . . .
G Kurtis Mucha, 20, is expected to attend the Edmonton Oilers’ prospects camp that starts next weekend. . . .
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D Kevin Connauton, a third-round pick by the Vancouver Canucks, was a freshman with the Western Michigan Broncos last season. Connauton, a 19-year-old from Edmonton, told Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province that he will talk to the Canucks before deciding where he will play next season. His WHL rights belong to the Vancouver Giants. “I won’t make any decision without talking to (the Canucks),” Connauton said. . . .
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Giants head coach Don Hay told Ewen that he is preparing for next season as though LW Evander Kane won’t be on the roster. Kane, who had 48 goals last season, was taken fourth overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the NHL’s draft. “If he doesn’t come back, we move on as normal,” Hay told Ewen. “If he does, it’s great for us, because he would obviously be a big part of our group. I just think if you keep waiting for him to come back you can lose focus on what you want to accomplish.”
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It looks like C Matt Betker (Portland Winterhawks, 2006-08) will open his 20-year-old season with the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings, They have acquired his BCHL rights in a deal with the Nanaimo Clippers. . . .
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It’s just about time for major junior teams to start scouting in Florida. If you don’t believe that give this story a read.