Tuesday's over

The SPHL’s Augusta RiverHawks have signed D Bryan Nathe (Brandon, Everett, 2002-04) for their inaugural season. Nathe has played in the ECHL, Central league, and the IHL. He split last season between the IHL’s Dayton Gems, Flint Generals and Port Huron IceHawks, picking up 12 points in 68 games.
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The Saskatoon Blades got down to four goaltenders on Tuesday by reassigning Adam Todd, 16, to the major midget Okanagan Rockets, who play out of Kelowna. . . . The Blades are to meet the Pats in Regina on Wednesday night, after which one of two 17-year-old goaltenders -- Adam Iwan or Tyler Oswald -- will be reassigned. Iwan and Oswald, both 2008 bantam draft picks, are scheduled to play a half apiece tonight. . . . The Blades also have two veteran goaltenders on their roster in Steven Stanford, 20, and Adam Morrison, 19.
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Still with goaltenders, the Vancouver Giants have three of them and observers are watching and waiting to see what happens. Mark Segal, the starter late last season and through playoffs, is expected to open the season as the starter. The 19-year-old will be backed up by either Derek Tendler, 18, who joined the Giants last season from the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins but didn’t get much playing time, and Brendan Jensen, 17, who started with the Giants but finished with the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild. . . . Conspiracy theorists might wonder whether the Bonner brothers might get together on a deal. The Giants, of GM Scott Bonner, have three goaltenders, each with at least some experience in the WHL. The Kamloops Blazers, of GM Craig Bonner, have two goaltenders on their roster -- Jon Groenheyde, a 19-year-old who is preparing for his third season but first as a starter, and Troy Trombley, 16, who has played half a game in the Blazers’ first four exhibition assignments.
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I was watching the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers in a prospects game from Penticton last night. Interesting moment in the third period when Calgary’s Lance Bouma delivered a big hit in the neutral zone and Edmonton’s Nolan Toigo roared in to challenge Bouma. They exchanged blows in what was pretty much a draw. Toigo and Bouma were teammates with the Vancouver Giants. . . . The Oilers won 5-3, with an empty-netter, in what was an entertaining game. D Alex Plante scored twice for Edmonton, including the empty-netter. Edmonton G Tyler Bunz was terrific.
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The BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers have triplets on their roster this season. That story is right here. Bill Gallacher, who owns the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, also owns a piece of the action in Nanaimo.
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David Haas is the new head coach of the AJHL’s Calgary Mustangs. He replaces Jeff Peters, who resigned earlier this month. Haas, 42, was a fifth-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1992 NHL draft. He finished his playing career with a number of seasons in Germany.
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F Brennan Tutt, who was released by the Seattle Thunderbirds, now is in camp with the Regina Pats. Tutt, the son of former WHL F Brian Tutt (Calgary, 1979-82), told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post that he asked the Thunderbirds for his release. He then asked half-a-dozen teams for a tryout before landing in Regina where head coach Curtis Hunt said he would take a look at Tutt, 18. . . . He had an assist in Regina’s 7-3 loss to the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday. He was pointless in 17 games with Seattle last season but spent a lot time battling the injury bug. . . . Harder’s story is right here.
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F Craig Cunningham, 20, has had an impact in the Boston Bruins’ rookie camp. Cunningham, a fourth-round pick by the Bruins in the NHL’s 2010 draft, is eligible to return for a fifth season with the Vancouver Giants and hasn’t signed an NHL contract. But, as Rob Murray, the head coach of the AHL’s Providence Bruins, told Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe: “Maybe I’ve noticed him more this week than I did at the prospects camp. I’ve liked him more this week than at the prospects camp. I’ve seen more of what he might bring. He’s got a certain edge to him, that grittiness that you look for in a player of his stature. He’s not a really big guy. But it looks like he plays with an edge. We’ll see.” . . . If the Bruins sign Cunningham, he can play in the AHL. If he returns to the Giants, he will be their captain.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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