Saturday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: G Norm Maracle (Saskatoon, 1991-94) signed a one-year contract with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, plays in Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had a 3.43 GAA and a .899 save percentage in 33 games with Iserlohn (Germany DEL) last season.
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James Mirtle, over at From the Rink (there’s a link on the left), has been keeping close tabs on the mess involving the Phoenix Coyotes. And a document he has posted shows that some former WHL players are owed, or soon will be owed, considerable monies by the Coyotes. None of the monies has been paid since the franchise went into bankruptcy protection in May.
For starters, Dave Scatchard (Portland, 1993-96) is owed about US$1.4 million in buyout money.
Justin Bernhardt (Regina, Kelowna, Prince Albert, 2003-08) is owed $7,000 from a $15,000 signing bonus.
Peter Mueller (Everett, 2005-07) is owed $212,500 in performance bonus money.
Martin Hanzal (Red Deer, 2006-07) is owed $25,000 in signing bonus money. Hanzal also has a $20,000 signing bonus due on Sept. 15.
Nick Ross (Regina, Kamloops, Vancouver, 2004-09) is owed $43,750 in signing bonus money.
David Schlemko (Medicine Hat, 2004-07) had a $15,000 signing bonus payment due on Aug. 1 and you know he didn’t get it.
Sometimes, it would seem, a young man’s dream of playing in the NHL really can turn into something of a nightmare.