Tuesday . . . early

 The Portland Winterhawks don’t seem likely to get back LW Luke Walker, 20, now that he has signed with the Colorado Avalanche. He was selected by Colorado in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL draft. Walker signed a three-year, entry-level deal, with a US$140,000 signing bonus, and was assigned the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters. Walker already has reported to the Cleveland-based team. . . . In 202 regular-season games with Portland, Walker, who is from Castlegar, B.C., had 130 points, including 65 goals, and 271 penalty minutes. . . . He is the son of former WHLer Gord Walker (Portland, Kamloops, 1982-85) and is represented by Carlos Sosa, who is based in Auburn, Wash.

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The Kelowna Rockets have assigned F Colton Heffley, a second-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft, to the midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires. He had one assist in six preseason games. . . . That gets the Rockets’ roster down to 25 players as they prepare for a Wednesday night visit by the Tri-City Americans.
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The Vancouver Giants had only five defencemen dressed for Monday’s 7-2 loss to the Winterhawks in Portland. Tanner Sohn (knee) was injured in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Silvertips in Everett. D Zach Hodder and F Connor Redmond are out with long-term shoulder injuries.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings are down to 31 players after designating G Andrew Hayes, 20, for assignment. Hayes holds the franchise record for career GAA, having put up a 2.79 mark in 111 regular-season games. From Sherwood Park, Alta., he also has 11 career shutouts, behind only Tyler Plante (12) in Wheat Kings history. . . . Brandon still is carrying four goaltenders -- Jacob DeSerres, 20, Ty Rimmer, 18, Corbin Boes, 17, and Liam Liston, 17. . . . F Scott Glennie, 19, was to return to practice with the Wheat Kings on Tuesday after a stint with the NHL’s Dallas Stars. He is expected to play Wednesday against the Warriors in Moose Jaw.
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The Kamloops Blazers have designated F Rhyse Dieno, 17, for assignment, likely to an SJHL team. He had one assist in 16 games last season and didn’t dress for either of the team’s first two games this season. . . . The Blazers now are at 24 players, including two goaltenders and eight defencemen.
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G Adam Morrison, 19, is back with the Saskatoon Blades after being in camp with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. They selected him in the third round of the 2009 NHL draft. The Blades now have three goaltenders on their roster, the others being Steven Stanford, 20, and Adam Iwan, 17. . . . Stanford is one of six 20-year-olds on the Blades’ roster, although one of those (F Gaelan Patterson) is in camp with the NHL’s Calgary Flames.
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F Quinton Howden, 18, returned to the Moose Jaw Warriors from the camp of the NHL’s Florida Panthers on Monday. He is likely to play Wednesday against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Panthers selected Howden with the 25th overall pick of the 2010 NHL draft.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
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