Friday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: F Ladislav Kohn (Brandon-Swift Current, 1993-95) signed a contract with Trinec (Czech Extraliga). He had 13 goals and 13 assists in 54 games for Nizhnekamsk (Russia KHL) last season. The contract has an exit clause in mid-October as Kohn is negotiating to sign a six-month “artist’s contract” with a club in Sweden's Elitserien. Kohn would finish the season with Trinec if he does not come to terms with an Elitserien team. Under Swedish tax law, a non-resident “artist” (an athlete is considered a “performing artist”) is taxed at a flat 15 per cent (substantially lower than resident tax rates) and there are no taxes paid by the employer for social security, provided they are in Sweden for no longer than six months.
F Dustin Johner (Seattle, 1999-2004) signed a two-month tryout contract with Ilves Tampere (Finland SM-Liiga). He had 15 goals and 33 assists in 54 games with Innsbruck (Austria Erste Bank Liga) last season. . . . D Justin Kurtz (Brandon, 1993-97) signed a one-year contract with Örebro (Sweden Allsvenskan). He had seven goals and 26 assists in 39 games for Nordsjælland (Denmark AL-Bank Liga) last season. . . . D Matt Suderman (Saskatoon-Everett, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Morzine-Avoriaz (France Ligue Magnus). He had two goals and nine assists in 58 games with the Arizona Sundogs (CHL) last season.
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It used to be that hockey teams had their head coaches in place shortly after the NHL draft ended and then everyone took the rest of the summer off. Not anymore. As Jack Todd of the Montreal Gazette wrote the other day, hockey is the sport that ate summer. . . . Greg Gilbert, who spent the last three seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, is the new head coach of the Adirondack Phantoms. He’ll be introduced to that team’s fans on Tuesday. . . . The OHL’s Niagara IceDogs have dumped head coach Mario Cicchillo and replaced him with assistant coach Mike McCourt, at least on an interim basis. Last season, the IceDogs, who were sixth in the Eastern Conference, lost out in the second round of playoffs. . . . McGill University, which is situated in Montreal, has named Jim Webster interim head coach. He takes over from Martin Raymond, who has moved on to an assistant’s position with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs.
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F Troy Ofukany (Kelowna, Regina, Red Deer, 2004-08) will be going to training camp with the AHL’s Austin Texans. The 22-year-old Ofukany, who has been working a hockey school in Kamloops, had 36 points and 122 penalty minutes with the Central league’s Wichita Thunder last season.
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Pitcher Bronson Arroyo of the Cincinnati Reds has an interesting take on baseball and the performance-enhancers situation. He talks rather openly in this story that appeared in USA TODAY.