D/F James Bettauer (Chilliwack, Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, 2007-08, 2010-12) signed a one-year contract with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL). He had 21 goals and 37 assists in 74 games with Prince Albert Raiders and Medicine Hat Tigers this season. According to the Freezers press release, Bettauer has claim to a German passport and won’t count as an import. The Freezers plan to use him as a defenceman. . . .
D Shawn Belle (Regina, Tri-City, 2000-05) signed a one-year contract extension with Adler Mannheim (Germany, DEL). He had three goals and five assists in 46 games for Adler this season.
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KEEPING UP WITH JONES:
OK.
Everyone who figured D Seth Jones would go to the U of North Dakota after the Portland Winterhawks had obtained the right to talk to him raise your right hand.
That’s what I thought.
Jeff Spiegel of the Portland Tribune reported early Monday evening that Jones, who is projected as an early selection in the NHL’s 2013 draft, signed with the Winterhawks on Saturday and that an official announcement will be made tonight, prior to Game 4 of the WHL championship final in Portland.
The Winterhawks gave up an undisclosed conditional bantam draft pick to acquire the negotiating rights to Jones from the Everett Silvertips. They had selected Jones with the 11th overall pick of the 2009 bantam draft.
Doug Soetaert, then Everett’s general manager, made that selection and also put a lot of time and effort into recruiting Jones. However, Soetaert was fired in February and Garry Davidson, the Winterhawks’ director of player personnel, was named GM shortly thereafter.
A couple of weeks ago, Jones’ representative – please remember that NCAA regulations don’t allow college-eligible players to have agents (wink! wink!) – informed Everett that Jones wouldn’t play for the Silvertips. They then dealt negotiating rights to Portland.
Obviously, it will cost the Winterhawks a whole lot more now that they have signed him.
"We have the framework for that deal, and everyone is comfortable with it if we are able to sign him," Mike Johnston, the Winterhawks’ GM and head coach, told The Tribune after acquiring the negotiating rights.
While the Winterhawks are to announce the signing tonight, chances are they won’t reveal the terms of the trade with the Silvertips. It could be that such a transaction will include a player or two off the Winterhawks’ present roster.
Spiegel’s entire story is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dale Vossen is the new head coach of the midget AAA Swift Current Home Hardware Legionnaires, as Shawn Mullin, the play-by-play voice of the Swift Current Broncos has reported. Vossen replaces Jason Johns, who was dropped as head coach in March. . . . Vossen is no stranger to hockey in Western Canada, having scouted for the Regina Pats and Kamloops Blazers, and having coached at various levels in minor hockey in and around Swift Current and Regina. He was an assistant coach with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians who won the Air Canada Cup in 1988 and got back to the final the following season only to lose to the Calgary Buffaloes. . . . Vossen also spent two seasons (1991-93) as an assistant coach with the Pats. Brad Tippett, brother to Phoenix Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett, was the Pats’ head coach. Oh, could those two, along with Al Dumba, the other assistant coach, tell some stories. . . . Vossen’s son, Evan, scored the OT goal last month that gave the McGill Redmen a 4-3 victory over the Western Mustangs in the CIS championship game. The Redmen are recognized as the oldest hockey team in the world — the club was wrapping up its 136th season — and this was its first championship.
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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that the Vancouver Giants’ search for a goaltender will continue. Adam Morrison played out his eligibility with the Giants this season. Jackson Whistle and Payton Lee, who also saw action with the Giants last season, are deemed too young to take over the starting role. The Giants, Ewen has reported, had hoped to land Matt Tomkins, who played this season with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders but he apparently has decided to go the NCAA route.
Ewen’s complete report is right here.
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Chris Rumble, the son of Seattle Thunderbirds assistant coach Darren Rumble, was diagnosed with leukemia about five weeks ago. Chris just happens to know his way around a video camera and a computer, so while at Seattle Children’s Hospital on the weekend he put together a music video that is a must-see. He filmed it on Saturday, then did the editing on Sunday and then published it online. Check it out right here.
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With the Portland Winterhawks playing in the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup for a second straight season, it’s easy to forget how bad this franchise was not that long ago. Jim Beseda of The Oregonian takes a look back right here and writes about how times have changed.
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Ch-ch-ching! As expected, head coach Derek Laxdal of the Edmonton Oil Kings paid a small price for his officiating-related comments after Game 2 of the WHL final. No, he wasn’t talking about how good he felt the officiating has been. And it cost him $500. The WHL announced the fine on Monday.
Laxdal twice said “no comment” to officiating-related questions following Game 3 on Sunday night.
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F Henrik Samuelsson won’t be in the Edmonton Oil Kings’ lineup tonight for Game 4 of the WHL final against the Winterhawks in Portland. Samuelsson drew a one-game suspension under supplementary discipline for a cross-checking incident in Game 3 on Sunday. He drew a double-minor on the play.
After the suspension was announced there were a couple of interesting tweets.
Here’s one from Todd Vrooman, the play-by-play voice of the Winterhawks: “Samuelsson suspended for Game 4 for blatant cross check to the face of Joey Baker in Game 3.”
OK.
Now here are two tweets from Corey Graham, the radio voice of the Oil Kings:
“Just a bizarre situation. WHL suspends Henrik Samuelsson 1 game for protecting himself on a hit by Joey Baker.”
“But the WHL looks other way when Wren hits Moroz from behind during goal celebration, and when Brad Ross shoves one of their officials #???”
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Here is the schedule for the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup (all times local):
Thursday, May 3: Portland 2 at Edmonton 3 (7,466)
Friday, May 4: Portland 5 at Edmonton 1 (10,720)
Sunday, May 6: Edmonton 3 at Portland 4 (10,947)
Tuesday, May 8: at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 10: at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, May 12: at Portland (Rose Garden), 6 p.m.
x-Sunday, May 13: at Edmonton, 6 p.m.
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