Monday . . .

The Portland Winterhawks have launched their new website. According to a press release, “The new winterhawks.com will include regular video features, constantly updated news and content, expanded player and team management pages and easy access to ticket information, statistics, the team schedule and much more.” . . . Has any major junior team ever done more in less time in an attempt to restore its tattered image?
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A documentary — Kings of The Road — about the Portland Buckaroos of the old Western Hockey League is to have its premiere on Wednesday. The Oregonian has a nifty story right here.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed F Andrew Johnson, a second-round selection in the 2009 bantam draft out of the bantam AA Saskatoon Stallions. Johnson, who will turn 15 on Oct. 15, had 78 points in 42 games. . . . The Warriors also signed D Shayne Gwinner, who also was a second-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. He had 21 points in 32 regular-season games with the bantam AAA Airdrie Xtreme. . . . The ice plant in the Crushed Can acted up Monday, resulting in the Warriors having to cancel a goaltending session. The skaters were involved in fitness testing so didn’t miss any ice time.
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Oh, Duda Day! LW Jason Duda (Saskatoon, Medicine Hat, 1992-95) has signed on for a 14th season with the Central league’s Wichita Thunder. According to a Thunder press release, Duda is “coming off a season in which he broke every offensive career record in Thunder hockey history. . . . Duda has scored more points than games played in 10 of 13 seasons. He ranks third in Central Hockey League history with 337 goals and 536 assists, fourth with 873 points and second with 740 games. Three points this season will put him in third place for points.” . . . Bothered by a wonky back for much of last season, Duda had 55 points in 58 games.
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LW Jason Gardiner (hyper-extended knee) of the Regina Pats is likely to sit for up to 10 days. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that former Pats star Mike Sillinger, should he retire as an NHL player, will join the WHL team in a “yet-to-be defined consultant/coaching role.” . . . The Pats have signed F Chandler Stephenson and F Taylor Balog, their first two picks in the 2009 bantam draft. They were linemates last summer with the bantam AAA Saskatoon Huskies. Balog had 76 points in 26 games with the bantam AA Weyburn Wings last season, while Stephenson had 110 points in 48 games with the bantam AAA Saskatoon Generals. . . . Stephenson, the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft, is ticketed for the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts, while Balog, who went 28th overall, will play for the same league’s Tisdale Trojans.
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When the Spokane Chiefs open camp on Thursday at the Spokane Arena, they expect to have 70 players on hand. But that won’t include D Jared Cowen, D Jared Spurgeon or F Ryan Letts. . . . Cowen continues to rehab a knee after undergoing surgery in February. He has been skating, but didn’t participate in the Ottawa Senators’ prospects camp or the Canadian national junior team’s evaluation camp. Selected by Ottawa with the ninth pick of the NHL’s 2009 draft, he won’t play until getting medical clearance from the Senators. . . . Spurgeon, 20, underwent offseason shoulder surgery. He will be at camp but won’t play in the preseason. . . . Letts, 20, is out indefinitely with an Achilles tendon injury that he suffered in an offseason workout.
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In Red Deer, the Rebels were waiting late Monday for results of blood tests on F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the first overall pick in the 2008 bantam draft. He arrived in Red Deer on Sunday but hasn’t been feeling well and has yet to skate. . . . Red Deer D Matt Pufahl (shoulder) is to see a doctor Tuesday. . . . The Rebels are without sophomore F Steve Oursov, who hasn’t played since suffering a concussion in a fight with F Charles Inglis of the Saskatoon Blades in February. Oursov remains at home in Chilliwack, B.C.
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Former WHL D Joel Dyck (Kamloops, Regina, Swift Current, Seattle, 1987-92) apparently has ended his playing career in Japan and returned to the Lethbridge area where he will help out as an assistant coach with the midget AAA Lethbridge Titans.
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The Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional league have signed G Bryan Bridges, 23, who played in Kootenay and Seattle (2001-05) and put up 21 career WHL shutouts.
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Chris Littman, over at The Sporting Blog, was quite enthralled with the most-recent escapades of Ernie (Punch) McLean. Littman ended a brief piece with this: “Let this be a reminder the next time one of those ‘which athletes are the toughest?’ debates arises. And also, never doubt the survival instincts of a man who is part-time hockey coach, part-time gold prospector and full-time badass.” . . . And that about sums up McLean, doesn’t it?