WHL votes to OK transfer of scholarships

The WHL pumped out a press release on Tuesday that dealt with the number of its former players who are recipients of what it calls WHL scholarships.
The press release, which is available on the WHL’s website, was full of facts and figures -- 253 ex-WHLers on scholarship, ex-WHLers enrolled in 64 different post-secondary institutions throughout North America, 106 of the 253 recipients continue to play elite hockey in Canada . . .
The whole thing, while terrific news for the WHL and for prospective players, was all facts and figures but did little to humanize the situation.
And then, way down near the end, there was this:
Utah State University Logan UT, (1)
Tyler Mistelbacher Winnipeg, MB Everett Silvertips
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Tyler Mistelbacher has never played for the Everett Silvertips. Nor will he ever play for the Silvertips or any other WHL team.
However, his brother Jordan did.
Jordan played 96 games over three seasons with the Silvertips, totalling 27 points.
Last season, he had six points in 26 games when he was assigned by the Silvertips to the MJHL’s Winnipeg Saints in January. He arrived in Winnipeg, practised with the Saints one day and was found dead the next morning, just two days after his 19th birthday.
Various news organizations reported at the time that toxicology tests were to be conducted, but the outcome of those tests never were reported.
Anyway . . . in light of Mistelbacher’s death, the WHL’s governors and general managers spent time discussing what to do with scholarship money that was due to Mistelbacher. They also discussed what they might do in any future like situations.
“(Mistelbacher) had two or three years in the bank,” Everett general manager Doug Soetaert explained Wednesday afternoon. “I thought about it and the parents contacted me to see what could be done.”
Soetaert then took it to WHL commissioner Ron Robison, who decided the matter should be brought up before the governors.
“At the annual meeting,“ Soetaert said, “there was discussion on it . . . lots of thoughtful discussion. In the end, Ron recommended it and the governors stepped forward and approved it unanimously.”
If a deceased player has a sibling in school or who will be going to college or university, his scholarship may be transferred.
“That’s the only situation that would be allowed,” Soetaert said. “It’s a good thing for the league. It was done and it was a nice gesture by our league and the owners.”
While the Silvertips have passed Jordan’s scholarship on to his brother, Kamloops general manager Craig Bonner told me Tuesday night that the Blazers are looking to see if the same situation applies to them.
Mike Maniago played goal for the Blazers and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (2004-08). He was killed in a car accident in Calgary in late November of 2008.