Wednesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: F Tomas Oravec (Kelowna) signed a one-year contract with Caen (France Division 1). He had no points in 13 games with Sosnowiec (Poland) last season.
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This is a big weekend for Bob Brown, who was the general manager of the Kamloops Blazers when they won three Memorial Cups in four years (1992, 1994, 1995).
Brown, who now lives in Vancouver and scouts for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, will be inducted into the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame in Penticton on Friday night.
Brown, the GM in Kamloops from 1986-95, was twice honoured as the WHL’s executive of the year – for the 1990-91 and 1993-94 seasons.
An argument can be made that no GM in major junior hockey history has had a better nine-year run than did Brown. Under his guidance, the Blazers went 435-184-29 (that would be 29 ties; remember them?). A quick calculation shows that as an incredible .694 winning percentage. That works out to an average of 100 points per season, and remember that there weren’t any loser points awarded in those days.
The Blazers won seven divisional pennants and five WHL titles with Brown as GM. They won three times in the five Memorial Cup appearances, the last one right in Kamloops in 1995.
Tom Renney and Don Hay, two of the Blazers’ coaches during Brown’s stay in Kamloops, already are in the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame. The 1992 Blazers also have been inducted in the team category.
After Brown was dismissed in June 1995 – the Blazers’ organization chose to go in a different direction two weeks after winning its third Memorial Cup in four years – he went on to work for the Tri-City Americans and Vancouver Giants before joining the Oilers’ scouting staff.
Also being inducted on Friday will be former WHLers Dave Babych and Bob Rouse, who had stellar careers as defencemen, journalist/coach Grant Kerr and the late Father David Bauer.
Late in the 2008-09 season, the WHL presented Brown with its WHL Governors Award, which is presented annually to individuals who, through their outstanding service as builders of the league and achievements in the game, have contributed to the growth and development of the WHL.
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The WHL hasn’t yet released its 2009-10 schedule. Why? Because the Western Conference has yet to hold its scheduling meeting. That will take place Wednesday (July 29) in Kelowna. . . .
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The Brandon Wheat Kings Alumni Association is holding its inaugural golf tournament on Aug. 6 at Oak Island Golf Resort. The tournament is open to the public and serves as the association’s major fund-raiser, with proceeds going to the Wheat Kings’ scholarship fund. The day will include breakfast, golf and a banquet. To register, or for more info, call the Wheat Kings at 250-726-3535. . . .
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The Calgary Hitmen introduced Mike Williamson as their head coach on Wednesday afternoon.
Williamson, 36, replaces Dave Lowry, who, in his only season as head coach, got the Hitmen into the WHL final, where they lost in six games to the Kelowna Rockets. Lowry left the Hitmen to join the parent Calgary Flames as an assistant coach.
Williamson, who signed a multi-year deal, played 204 games as a defenceman with the Portland Winterhawks (1991-94). He rejoined the Winterhawks as an assistant coach in 1995 and took over as head coach midway through the 1999-2000 season. His contract wasn’t renewed by the then-ownership group after the 2006-07 season. He hasn’t coached since then.
Calgary GM Kelly Kisio said that both assistant coaches, former NHLer Joel Otto and Brent Kisio, will return. Brent is Kelly’s son.
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The Hitmen are the seventh team to replace their head coach since the end of the 2008-09 season. And the Tri-City Americans will be the eighth when they find a replacement for Don Nachbaur, who left last week to take over as head coach of the AHL’s Binghamton Senators.
Tri-City GM Bob Tory interviewed at least one candidate on Tuesday, and plans to do more talking before leaving for Kelowna and Wednesday’s scheduling meeting.
“I plan to do five interviews and after that I will determine if we have a candidate or if I need to expand the pool,” Tory told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald. “We want to make sure we get the right man for the job.”
Tory said he has received about 50 inquiries since Nachbaur’s departure.
You have to wonder if Jim Hiller, who was dismissed as head coach of the Chilliwack Bruins after last season, will be among the first five interviewees.