The Wire is busy, but GM Bonner is quiet

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
What is known in WHL circles as ‘The Wire’ is said to be full of names these days.
The Wire, which isn’t related to the late, great TV show of the same name, is where teams put players’ names as they ponder potential trades.
Conversations with general managers invariably get around to mentioning that “so-and-so is on The Wire,” or that “there is lots of activity on The Wire.”
Early in training camp, for example, general manager/head coach Marc Habscheid of the Chilliwack Bruins put three veteran players on The Wire. A short time later, all three were released, which would indicate there was little, if any, interest in any of them.
These days, with the exhibition season heading into its final weekend, The Wire is abuzz as teams work to get down in numbers, the theory being that it is better to trade an asset than to release it.
However, Craig Bonner, the general manager of the Kamloops Blazers, said he isn’t giving The Wire much more than a cursory glance.
Bonner’s Blazers, who play their final home exhibition game of the season tonight at Interior Savings Centre against the Prince George Cougars, are carrying 29 players, which means there are five or six roster moves yet to be made.
And it isn’t likely that Bonner, who acquired defenceman Bronson Maschmeyer, 18, from the Vancouver Giants last week, will be involved in any trades in the immediate future.
“I’m not openly looking for guys right now,” Bonner said. “We have a lot of guys here and we need to sort things out and give ourselves some time before we worry about bringing other guys in.
“Unless something comes up that is interesting . . .”
Of course, two of the 29 players on the roster — forwards Dalibor Bortnak (spleen) and Colin Smith (broken arm) — are injured and aren’t likely to play until some time in October.
But the five who were at NHL prospects camps are beginning to trickle back.
Veteran centre C.J. Stretch, who had been with the San Jose Sharks, was to arrive in Kamloops on Thursday night. Defencemen Zak Stebner, who had been in Traverse City, Mich., with the Dallas Stars, and Giffen Nyren, who was there with the Minnesota Wild, are to return today.
Stretch, the Blazers’ leading scorer last season, had a goal and an assist Tuesday as the Sharks beat the visiting Los Angeles Kings, 5-0.
Stebner had one assist Wednesday as the Stars scored a 4-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets and added another helper yesterday in a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
As of last night, the Blazers were waiting to hear whether forwards Jimmy Bubnick (Atlanta Thrashers) and Tyler Shattock (St. Louis Blues) were on their way back or going to main camp.
Bubnick, a sixth-round pick by Atlanta in the NHL’s June draft, was pointless in 7-3 and 5-4 victories over the Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
Shattock, who didn’t figure in the scoring as the Blues beat Minnesota, 4-3, in a shootout Wednesday, had a goal yesterday in a 5-4 loss to the New York Rangers.
Nyren had an assist in the Wild’s loss to the Blues, but was pointless in yesterday’s 4-1 loss to Carolina.
None of the five will play tonight at home or Saturday when the Blazers are in Prince George.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
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