F Jan Fadrny (Brandon, Kelowna, 1998-2001) signed a one-year contract with Königsbrunn (Germany, Bayernliga). He had four goals and one assist in nine games with Dresdner Eislöwen (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) and four goals and 13 assists in 23 games with Pisek (Czech Republic, 1.Liga) last season.
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And now for something completely different. . . . Mark Ferner, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, and Steve Konowalchuk, the head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds, will be doing a live chat today at SeattleTimes.com. The two coaches, each of them in his first season, will run from noon to 1 p.m.
If you are so inclined, you may join the chat right here.
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For the second time in two seasons, the Kelowna Rockets sent a player home in the hopes that time away from the arena will allow him to recover from post-concussion syndrome.
Last year, the Rockets sent F Kyle St. Denis home to Trail. He never did return to the Rockets, although he later completed his 20-year-old season with the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies.On Tuesday, the Rockets revealed that F Max Adolph, 19, has gone home to Saskatoon and has been placed on the indefinite injured list.
Concussions limited Adolph to 36 games last season, during which he totalled six points. He was injured on Oct. 30, returned in late November and was hurt again in January. He tried to come back in February but was sidelined again just two weeks later.
He returned for training camp and played in the Rockets’ first exhibition game but suffered another concussion.
“After assessment from our doctors, we’re doing what is in in the best interest of Max,” Rockets president and general manager Bruce Hamilton said in a news release. “Our medical team has advised Max to avoid body contact and shut his season down for now.
“The best place for Max to recover is at home with his family. We’re going to stay in touch with Max and he will be re-assessed after Christmas.”
Adolph is the son of Dave Adolph, the head coach of the U of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team.
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The WHL’s 20-year-old deadline — at which time each team may declare a maximum of three such players — arrives on Oct. 13.
The Tri-City Americans are going to have a tough decision to make before it gets here.F Brendan Shinnimin is back with the Americans after skating in the camps of the NHL’s PHoenix Coyotes and the AHL’s Portland, Me., Pirates.
The Americans’ roster also includes three other 20-year-olds — D Brock Sutherland, who was plus-5 in two weekend games, F Adam Hughesman, the WHL’s player of the week, and F Mason Wilgosh.
As well, there still is a chance that D Matt MacKenzie could be returned. He went to camp with the Buffalo Sabres and now is with the AHL’s Rochester Americans.
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JUST NOTES: The Regina Pats got down to 25 players on Tuesday by assigning F Mikael Jung, 19, to the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals. Jung had 16 points, eight of them goals, in 69 games with the Pats last season. That move left the Pats carrying two goaltenders, nine defencemen and 14 forwards. . . . The Brandon Wheat Kings are at
24 players after assigning three 16-year-old skaters. D Colton Waltz is off to the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs, while F Tim McGauley and F Taylor Cooper are bound for midget AAA teams in Sherwood Park, Alta., and Notre Dame, respectively. The Wheat Kings now are carrying two goalies, nine defencemen and 13 forwards. They are missing F Brenden Walker, who hasn’t played since suffering a concussion last spring, and D Brodie Melnychuk (broken wrist). . . .F Quinton Howden, 19, has been returned to the Moose Jaw Warriors by the NHL’s Florida Panthers. But he came back with a concussion and there isn’t a timetable for
his return. Howden was injured two weeks ago in a rookie game against the Nashville Predators. Howden is a key part of the Warriors, having had 79 points, including 40 goals, in 60 games last season. . . . On Tuesday, the Warriors released veteran F Markus McCrea, 19. He played 175 games with the Everett Silvertips before being released and picked up by the Warriors. He played in the Warriors’ 4-3 victory over the Wheat Kings in Brandon on Friday but was minus-2. . . .G Andrew Hayes, who played three seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings before spending his 20-year-old season with the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, has signed with the ECHL’s Alaska Aces. Hayes, 21, is in camp with the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen, who have an affiliation with the Aces. . . . The Swift Current Broncos have returned F Zac MacKay to the midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires. MacKay, 17, was pointless in nine games with the Broncos last season. . . . Tyler King, the radio voice of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons, reports that the team has added F Cole Penner, 20, to its roster. The Prince Albert Raiders selected Penner with the fourth overall pick in the WHL’s 2006 bantam draft. Penner has played only 17 WHL games.
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The OHL issued three lengthy suspensions on Tuesday, sitting one player for 12 games, another for 10 and one for six.
The really interesting thing, however, is that the OHL also issued this news release:“The Ontario Hockey League today announced the results of three separate disciplinary reviews. The league has taken the position, that for education purposes, any announcement regarding supplementary discipline will be supported by video footage and additional rationale for all incidents involving checking to the head, checking from behind, and others at the discretion of the league.”
If you visit the OHL website and click on one of the video links, you won’t get commissioner David Branch in front of a camera, a la Brendan Shanahan, but you will get a written explanation along with video of the infraction.
Well done, OHL!
And over to you, QMJHL and WHL.
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Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s disciplinarian, handed out two suspensions, on Tuesday. . . . F Dominik Uher of the Spokane Chiefs will sit for three games for a checking from behind major he incurred in a Saturday game against the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash. Tri-City F Jordan Messier got two games under supplemental discipline from a game against the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Sunday.
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You may recall that just last week the BCHL suspended F Logan Johnston of the Penticton Vees for 20 games after a cross-check broke an opponent’s jaw. Well, it seems the Vees appealed the suspension. Not only did the Vees lose the suspension, but the BCHL’s appeals committee — an independent body that comprises three former police officers — added five games to the suspension, turning it into a 25-game sentence.
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THE COACHING GAME:
There has been a coaching change in the MJHL where former WHL goaltender Jomar Cruz (Brandon, Tri-City, Portland, 1998-2001) has taken over as head coach of the OCN Blizzard. Cruz, who was an assistant coach with the Blizzard, was named interim head coach after Scott McMillan, who was both GM and head coach, chose to step away from coaching. McMillan was quoted in a press release as saying he “just doesn’t have the energy to keep a group of teenagers on the right track at this time.” The Blizzard opened this season 0-2-1.
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Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post was able to chat with Gerry James the other day. Gerry James? He is one of the great stories in all of Canada’s sporting history. He also took a turn as head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors. It turns out that a book — Kid Dynamite: The Gerry James Story — now is available. I will be hunting up a copy. Vanstone’s piece is right here.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
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