The WHL’s arena advisory committee’s next meeting is scheduled for August, at which time, Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reports, commissioner Ron Robison is going to recommend that all WHL facilities install acrylic glass. . . . The glass has been installed in the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon at a cost of, uhh, $350,000. In Saskatoon’s case, the province kicked in $250,000 with the city good for 100 grand.
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Meanwhile, Nugent-Bowman also reports that WHL fans are going to be able to watch On the Edge: Road to the Memorial Cup on Sportsnet as a lead-up to the 2013 tournament that is to be played in Saskatoon. It sounds like it’s all but a done deal, with the show to be patterned after 24/7, the show HBO has done that leads fans into the NHL’s Winter Classic. . . . The difference being that 24/7 deals with professional adults, not with teenagers. . . . Two questions, if you’re a parent: 1. Do you want your child as a subject of such a show?; 2. If such a show goes ahead and you child is on it, would you like to see some cash coming his way?
Nugent-Bowman’s story is right here. . . . Would have loved to have had a show like this around when Lorne Molleken, the Blades’ GM/head coach, was playing for the Winnipeg Clubs. Could have called it Full Mooner over Winnipeg. Now that would have been a ratings hit.
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The Edmonton Oilers have hired one of hockey’s good guys to replace another of the good guys. Rick Carriere has been named senior director of player development, replacing the retired Billy Moores. . . . Carriere, 53, was the GM of the Medicine Hat Tigers (2000-04) and scouted for them through last season. He also served as a head coach with the Tigers and Red Deer Rebels. . . . It was Carriere who took the bullets when the Tigers bottomed out, but, Mama, look at them now. The decision to rebuild through the draft and put the faith in the scouting staff has paid off in a full house night after night. . . . Carriere has been teaching at Vimy Ridge Academy in Edmonton. . . . Interestingly, Carriere played for Moores with the U of A Golden Bears in the early 1980s. . . . Moores will remain with the Oilers, as a consultant in the player development area.
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More WHLers off to NHL development camps. . . . The Philadelphia Flyers have added F Mitch Elliot (Seattle), F Austin Fyten (Vancouver), F Cole Grbavac (Medicine Hat), D Matt Konan (Medicine Hat) and D Justin Hamonic (Tri-City). . . . Hamonic’s name also appears on the camp roster for the Toronto Maple Leafs and I’m told that he will attend both development camps. It sounds something like a rock star on tour. No? Here’s hoping he keeps a diary as there might be a good book there. . . . F Adam Hughesman (Tri-City) will join the Maple Leafs. . . . D Joey Leach (Kootenay) is going camping with the Winnipeg Jets, while F Trevor Cheek (Calgary) is headed for the Carolina Hurricanes. . . . F Taylor Peters (Portland) will camp out with the Florida Panthers. . . . G Mackenzie Skapski (Kootenay) is to join the Minnesota Wild.
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F Max Moline, 19, won’t be back with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, deciding instead to attend the U of Lethbridge. Moline, who is from Lethbridge, began his career with the Tri-City Americans and finished with the Hurricanes. However, injuries limited him to 75 games, during which he earned eight points, two of them goals. . . . He got some publicity last season when his fiancee, Kaylee Lyon, gave birth to Ronald James Winston Moline in January.
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The San Francisco Bulls are getting closer to their debut in the ECHL. Their first player, Czech F Peter Sivak, was introduced to fans on Thursday. Oldtimers may be incredulous to learn that the Bulls will play, yes, in the Cow Palace, which apparently has had something of a makeover.
Steve Langsam of the Martinez News-Gazette has more right here.
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The Vancouver Giants have hired Alex Grebenyuk as their new director of media relations and broadcasting, which means he will be the team’s play-by-play voice. For the last four seasons, he has been the radio voice of the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials. Grebenyuk replaces Dan Elliott, who was dropped after last season and now is at his alma mater, the U of British Columbia, as the manager of media relations.
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After five seasons in the ownership game, the Okanagan Hockey Academy is unloading the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. The OHA has reached an agreement with the Port Alberni Junior Hockey Society that will have 100 per cent of the franchise change hands. Ron Rauch of the Victoria Times Colonist has more right here.
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The UBC Hornets minor hockey coach who got caught on video tripping an opposing player? It seems that he is going to live in infamy because all signs point to this incident become a teaching moment for minor hockey coaches. Sarah Boesveld of the National Post has more right here. And if you haven’t there’s a link to the video there, too.
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THE COACHING GAME:
D.J. Smith is the new head coach of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. . . . He has been with the Windsor Spitfires since 2005, first as assistant and then associate coach. . . . Smith, a defenceman, played for the Spitfires before going on to a pro career that included stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche. His playing career was halted by post-concussion syndrome. . . . Smith takes over from Gary Agnew, who was dropped in April. . . .
Former NHLer Rick Vaive is getting into the coaching game. He is taking over as head coach of the minor midget AAA Oakville Rangers, a team that comprises 1997-born players. Vaive, 53, is a longtime resident of Oakville, Ont. He has pro coaching experience in the ECHL (East Carolina Stingrays), AHL (Saint John Flames) and OHL (Mississauga IceDogs). He also has coached minor hockey, and once had a team whose roster included Jeff Skinner and Tyler Seguin, both of who now are NHLers.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Scott King (Kelowna, 1996-97) signed a one-year contract extension with the Hannover Scorpions (Germany, DEL). He had 15 goals and 20 assists in 52 games for the Scorpions last season.
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The Edmonton Oil Kings have signed F Luke Bertolucci, who was a 10^th round pick in the 2010 bantam draft. Bertolucci, from Montrose, B.C., played last season with the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters, picking up 18 points in 47 games.
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The Vancouver Giants have acquired G Liam Liston, 19, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for two selections, in the third and sixth rounds, of the 2013 bantam draft. . . . Lethbridge acquired Liston from the Brandon Wheat Kings on Oct. 16, for G Brandon Anderson and D Spencer Galbraith. In 24 games with the Hurricanes, Liston was 7-13-0, 4.22, .881. . . . The Giants are looking to replace the graduated Adam Morrison and obviously will give Liston first chance. But they do have two young goaltenders – Jackson Whistle, 17, and Payton Lee, 16 – in the organization with considerable promise. However, head coach Don Hay much prefers a veteran goaltender, as was proven last season, again, when the Giants acquired Morrison from the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Hurricanes, meanwhile, acquired G Ty Rimmer, 20, from the Tri-City Americans on May 3, meaning Liston became expendable.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dean Chynoweth, a former WHL player, coach and GM, is the new head coach of the Lake Erie Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. . . . Chynoweth was dropped as an assistant coach by the New York Islanders when their season ended. . . . He had been with the Islanders for three seasons. . . . With the Monsters, he takes over from David Quinn, who was head coach for three seasons and now is an assistant coach with the Avalanche. . . .
Brent Thompson, another former WHL player, now is an assistant coach with the NHL’s New York Islanders. He had been head coach of their AHL team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. . . . Two seasons ago, he was the head coach of the ECHL-champion Alaska Aces.
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jaroslav Svoboda (Kootenay, 1998-2000) signed a one-year contract with Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL). He had five goals and six assists in 41 games with Kometa Brno (Czech Republic, Extraliga) last season. . . .
D Craig Schira (Regina, Vancouver, 2003-09) signed a one-year contract with Frisk Asker (Norway, GET-Ligaen). He had four goals and nine assists in 73 games with the Binghamton Senators (AHL) last season. . . .
D Michael Busto (Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Kootenay, 2001-07) signed a one-year contract with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus). He had one goal and 12 assists in 65 games with the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL) last season. . . .
F Kris Beech (Calgary. 1996-2001) signed a one-year contract with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had 15 goals and 20 assists in 59 games for Lukko Raumu (Finland, SM-Liiga) last season. . . .
F Tyler Mosienko (Kelowna, 2000-05) signed a one-year contract with Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had 13 goals and 26 assists in 36 games for the Nippon Paper Cranes Kushiro (Japan, Asia Hockey League) last season. . . .
Red Bull Munich (Germany, DEL) announced that F Eric Schneider (Tri-City, 1995-96) will sit out the 2012-2013 season due to ongoing knee issues. He had 16 goals and 30 assists in 52 games last season while dealing throughout the entire season with what Red Bull called "a serious knee injury." In spite of this, Schneider didn’t miss a game during the regular season, leading the team in goals, assists, and points and finishing 12th in DEL scoring. He signed a two-year contract extension with Red Bull Munich in March 2011.
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There isn’t a prouder father around these days than Bill Stewart, who owns the NAHL’s Wenatchee, Wash., Wild. His daughter, Chelsea, was on the roster when the Canadian women’s soccer team for the London Olympics was named on Monday. . . . Bill Stewart is from The Pas, Man., and, if you aren’t aware, starred as Albert in a Canadian Tire commercial back in the day. . . . “I guess that leaves Albert.” . . . “Boy, I sure wish we had a guy like Albert.”
If you haven’t seen it, or want another look, it’s right here. And it’s a great one!
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The Prince George Cougars have signed F Brad Morrison, who was the seventh overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. Morrison, from Westside, B.C., had 141 points, including 83 goals, for team at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton last season. . . . The Cougars cut a deal with Everett Silvertips in order to move up in the draft and select Morrison, who has family in the Prince George area. . . . The Cougars now have signed their two first-round selections, as they got a deal done with F Jansen Harkins earlier.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have released Slovakian F Juraj Bezuch, 18, so will be using the 17th overall selection in today’s CHL import draft. Bezuch, the 56th pick in last year’s import draft, had 21 points in 67 games with Lethbridge. . . . Lethbridge GM/head coach Rich Preston confirmed yesterday that the Hurricanes are bringing back D Albin Blomqvist, 19, who had three points in 38 games last season.
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Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada has his weekly 30 Thoughts right here.
It includes a piece on the New York Islanders apparently offering all of their 2012 draft picks to Columbus for the Blue Jacket’s first selection.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Scott Arniel is the new head coach of the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. He replaces Craig McTavish, who left to rejoin the Edmonton Oilers as vice-president of hockey operations. . . .
According to multiple reports, the Edmonton Oilers are poised to introduce Ralph Krueger as their new head coach today. He would replace Tom Renney, who was dropped after last season. . . . There now are reports that Renney, a former Kamloops Blazers’ head coach, will end up with the ZSC Lions in Zurich, Switzerland. Bob Hartley left the Lions to sign on as head coach of the Calgary Flames. There then were rumours that Krueger, a veteran of the Swiss coaching scene, would be joining the Lions. . . . Instead, it could be Krueger taking Renney’s spot and Renney going to Zurich. . . . The carousel continues. . . . Krueger played three games with the New Westminster Bruins in 1978-79 and had 83 points with the 1978-79 Calgary Wranglers.
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The Kootenay Ice has traded D John Neibrandt to the Vancouver Giants for a fifth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. Neibrandt is 19 now, but turns 20 on Oct. 9 so is going into his 20-year-old season. . . . In 134 regular-season games with the Ice, the 6-foot-5, 196-pounder from Yorkton, Sask., has 19 points and 83 penalty minutes. . . . The deal leaves the Ice with seven 20-year-olds on its roster, four over the limit. F Max Reinhart (Calgary) and D Luke Paulsen (post-concussion syndrome) aren’t expected to return. F Drew Czerwonka, D Joey Leach, F Dylen McKinlay, F Brock Montgomery and F Elgin Pearce also are on the Ice roster. . . . The Giants’ roster now includes six 20-year-olds, although F Brendan Gallagher (Montreal) and F Jordan Martinook (Phoenix) are eligible to play professionally.  The others are D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen, D Tyler Vanscourt and F Taylor Makin.
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The Vancouver Giants have signed D Shaun Dosanjh. From Richmond, B.C., he was a third-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft.
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With Joe Sakic, a product of the Swift Current Broncos, going into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Mark Spector of sportsnet.ca mentioned on Twitter (@SportsnetSpec) that he hasn’t seen a wrist shot as good as Sakic’s. . . . A fan tweeting as @AndersonEd27 responded: During the lock out I was playing pickup vs Joe. His wrist shot broke the webbing in my catching. . . . He dropped $300 in my locker after for a new one.#Class.
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If you haven’t seen minor hockey’s latest black eye, it’s right here. Watch as a Vancouver minor hockey sticks out his right foot and trips an opposing player during the handshake line last weekend at the U of British Columbia. . . . The video and story are from CTV News.
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Leonard Pitts Jr. of the Miami Herald toots his own profession’s horn right here. Hey, someone has to do it.
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And while we’re on that subject, right here is a piece from the Sherman Report that carries this headline: Deford address to sports editors: New media age creating sociery of ‘optionally illiterate people.’ . . . That would be Frank Deford, and this is an interesting read.


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The St. Francis-Xavier X-Men made it official Monday — they will have G Drew Owsley, D Bronson Maschmeyer, F Chase Schaber, F Steven Kuhn and F Cole Grbavac in the lineup next season. All are products of the WHL. . . . Owsley finished his career with the Prince George Cougars. . . . Maschmeyer and Schaber were with the Kamloops Blazers, while Kuhn was with the Spokane Chiefs and Grbavac the Medicine Hat Tigers.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings announced Monday that F Bruno Mraz, who had 18 points in 63 games last season, won’t be returning for a second season. Mraz, 19, has signed to play professionally in his native Slovakia. . . . Brandon has the 35th pick in Wednesday’s CHL import draft and will use it. . . . The Wheat Kings’ lone import at the moment is F Alessio Bertaggia, 19, who is from Switzerland and had 50 points in 64 games as a freshman last season.
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Alan Caldwell, over there on the right at Small Thoughts At Large, takes a team-by-team look at WHL teams as the import draft approaches. Check it out.
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More undrafted WHL players heading to NHL development camps. . . . G Andrey Makarov of the Saskatoon Blades will join the Florida Panthers. . . . F Miles Koules, who is to play for the Medicine Hat Tigers, has accepted an offer from the Phoenix Coyotes, as has Victoria Royals F Austin Carroll. . . . F Cain Franson of the Vancouver Giants and D Corbin Baldwin of the Spokane Chiefs are to go to camp with the Vancouver Canucks.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jeff Blashill, an assistant coach with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, has been named head coach of the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. . . . They are the AHL affiliate of the Red Wings. . . . Blashill, 38, joined Detroit’s coaching staff a year ago after two seasons as head coach at Western Michigan.

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Hanes proves he's Tough Mudder

Brothers Randy (left) and Ryan Hanes sport the Tough Mudder
headbands they received after completing the challenge.
(Photo courtesy Ryan Hanes)

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor

A weary Ryan Hanes rests after finishing
the Tough Mudder in Whistler.
(Photo courtesy Ryan Hanes)

Ryan Hanes, who is to opposing WHL players what fingernails are to chalkboards, has been called a lot of things during his three seasons with the Kamloops Blazers.
Tough Mudder likely isn’t one of them.
No matter. Because Hanes took time over the weekend to prove that, yes, he is a Tough Mudder.
Hanes was among the thousands of people who participated in the Tough Mudder at Whistler’s Olympic Park on the weekend.
Tough Mudder?
According to one website, “Tough Mudder is not your average lame-ass mud run or spirit-crushing ‘endurance’ road race.”
“It was unreal,” Hanes, 20, said. “It was pretty tough. I thought it was going to be tougher but it was definitely a challenge.”
Fashioned after military fitness/obstacle courses, the only thing missing from Tough Mudder is a Clint Eastwood-type drill sergeant standing over the participants and barking at them the whole time.
It all began as an entry in a business plan contest drawn up by Will Dean while he was a student at Harvard Business School. Tough Mudder reached the final, Dean brought in Guy Livingstone, and the first endurance challenge was held in Allentown, Pa., on May 2, 2010. (Dean is the chief executive officer; Livingstone is president and COO. The Tough Mudder website lists 42 personnel.)
Since 2010, hundreds of thousands of people have taken up the challenge and, in the process, raised more than US$3 million for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Hanes said he was among 14,000 people on the course in Whistler on Saturday and that another 15,000 were to take up the challenge on Sunday.
It took place on a 16-kilometre course that included 24 challenges, or obstacles, things like the Swamp Stomp, where you wade through waist-deep mud; the Boa Constrictor, which involves crawling through tubes that are partially full of rather muddy water; the Arctic Enema, which features ice water in a dumpster; the self-described Fire Walker, Berlin Wall and Glacier, and . . . well, you get the idea.
“You’d run for like three miles, do a couple obstacles, run for a mile, do an obstacle, run . . .,” Hanes said.
One of the major attractions of Tough Mudder is that it isn’t a timed race. The object isn’t to win; it is to finish.
The organization’s website points out that “Mudders do not take themselves too seriously” and “You cannot complete a Tough Mudder course alone.”
Hanes was part of a team that included his two brothers — Mike, 23, who instigated the whole thing a few months ago, and Randy, 21.
“(Mike) called me in February,” Ryan related, “and said ‘I’m doing this Tough Mudder thing. Do you want to do it with me?’ I signed up in February and just did it.
“Mike and me and Randy did it. Mainly, Mike got us three to do it and we got some friends.”
Being part of a team also is an important factor. As Hanes pointed out, “If you did it by yourself, you wouldn’t want to do it. But with all the support, it was fun.”
He also pointed out, while laughing, that with his older brother there, “I had to keep up.”
When the big day finally arrived, they were on the course at 11:15 a.m., and off it about three and a half hours later.
“We all stuck together the whole way,” Hanes said. “It took us quite a while. We had a couple of girls on the team so we would wait for them and then go as a team the whole way.”
Asked to describe what he went through, Hanes replied:
“There was a Berlin Wall thing — I don’t know how high it was — but you have to boost up and get them over. It was pretty tough. . . .
“You’d crawl under barbed wire that’s 12 inches off the ground. Crawl in about five inches of mud for about 20 feet. . . .
“There was this huge ice bath. Jump in and swim under a gate that’s at the bottom of the bath. You have to dive in, swim under in freezing cold water and come out the other side. . . .
“You run four miles up the hill and there’s a glacier that’s like a lake. You slide down this big snow bank and you have to go 10 feet swimming in the water and you get out and you have to run 15 minutes on the snow. Half of the lake was still frozen still. . . .
“There were a couple of outhouses and water stations. Grab a water, go to the bathroom and keep going.”
Crazy?
As Ashley Ellefson, Tough Mudder’s events director, told Jeff Green of the Vancouver Province: “They might be a little bit mentally unstable.” She apparently was laughing at the time.
When it was all over, those who finish, which statistically averages about 75 per cent, get are given an orange Tough Mudder headband — these are special as they aren’t for sale.
You also can choose to get a tattoo of a Tough Mudder logo. The Hanes gang opted out of the ink, primarily because the lineup was so long the wait was about four hours.
Meanwhile, Hanes was back home on Sunday.
“I’m really tired and sore,” he said, “and I think I’m going to be worse (Monday).“
So . . . would he do it again?
He didn’t hesitate.
“Oh yeah,” he gushed. “It was a lot of fun.”

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Old Blue Eye is Back!

Thirty-three years ago, Jim Murray wrote one of the most memorable columns of his career.
It wasn't a tirade against the designated hitter.
It wasn't a comical joust against any number of cities that he may have had in his crosshairs.
It was a personal introspective on the loss of one his closest friends, his left eye.
His blindness put him on the DL for a little while and, when he came back, he came back with this column, one full of imagery and prose that made truck drivers weep.
Enjoy the July 1, 1979 column, one that was headline "If You're Expecting One-Liners, Wait a Column" and is affectionately known as "Old Blue Eye is Back!"

JULY 1, 1979, SPORTS
Copyright 1979/THE TIMES MIRROR COMPANY

JIM MURRAY

If You're Expecting One-Liners, Wait a Column

    OK, bang the drum slowly, professor. Muffle the cymbals. Kill the laugh track. You might say that Old Blue Eye is back. But that's as funny as this is going to get.
    I feel I owe my friends an explanation as to where I've been all these weeks. Believe me, I would rather have been in a press box.

JIM MURRAY

    I lost an old friend the other day. He was blue eyed, impish, he cried a lot with me, laughed a lot with me, saw a great many things with me. I don't know why he left me. Boredom, perhaps.
    We read a lot of books together, we did a lot of crossword puzzles together, we saw films together. He had a pretty exciting life. He saw Babe Ruth hit a home run when we were both 12 years old. He saw Willie Mays steal second base, he saw Maury Wills steal his 104th base. He saw Rocky Marciano get up. I thought he led a pretty good life.
    You see, the friend I lost was my eye. My good eye. The other eye, the right one, we've been carrying for years. We just let him tag along like Don Quixote's nag. It's been a long time since he could read the number on a halfback or tell whether a ball was fair or foul or even which fighter was down.
    So, one blue eye is missing and the other misses a lot.
    So my best friend left me, at least temporarily, in a twilight world where it's always 8 o'clock on a summer night.
    He stole away like a thief in the night and he took a lot with him. But not everything. He left a lot of memories. He couldn't take those with him. He just took the future with him and the present. He couldn't take the past.
    I don't know why he had to go. I thought we were pals. I thought the things we did together we enjoyed doing together. Sure, we cried together. There were things to cry about.
    But it was a long, good relationship, a happy one. It went all the way back to the days when we arranged all the marbles in a circle in the dirt in the lots in Connecticut. We played on-old-cat baseball. We saw curveballs together, trying to hit them or catch them. We looked through a catcher's mask together. We were partners in every sense of the word.
    He recorded the happy moments, the beauty of a Pacific sunset, snow-capped mountains. He allowed me to see most of the major sports events of our time. I suppose I should be grateful that he didn't drift away when I was 12 or 15 or 29 but stuck around more than 50 years until we had a vault of memories. Still, I'm only human. I'd like to see again, if possible, Rocky Marciano with his nose bleeding, behind on points and the other guy coming.
    I guess I would like to see a Reggie Jackson with the count 3 and 2 and the Series on the line, guessing fastball. I guess I'd like to see Rod Carew with men on first and second and no place to put him, and the pitcher wishing he were standing in the rain someplace, reluctant to let go of the ball.
    I'd like to see Stan Musial crouched around a curveball one more time. I'd like to see Don Drysdale trying not to laugh as a young hitter came up with both feet in the bucket.
    I'd like to see Sandy Koufax just once more facing Willie Mays with a no-hitter on the line. I'd like to see Maury Wills with a big lead against a pitcher with a good move. I'd like to see Roberto Clemente with the ball and a guy trying to go from first to third. I'd like to see Pete Rose sliding into home headfirst.
    I'd like once more to see Henry Aaron standing there with that quiet bat, a study in deadliness. I'd like to see Bob Gibson scowling at a hitter as if he had some nerve just to pick up a bat. I'd like to see Elroy Hirsch going out for a long one from Bob Waterfield, Johnny Unitas in high-cuts picking apart a zone defense. I'd like to see Casey Stengel walking to the mound on his gnarled old legs to take the pitcher out, beckoning his gnarled old finger behind his back.
    I'd like to see Sugar Ray Robinson or Muhammad Ali giving a recital, a ballet, not a fight. Also, to be sure, I'd like to see a sky full of stars, moonlight on the water, and yes, the tips of a royal flush peeking out as I fan out a poker hand, and yes, a straight two-foot putt.
    Come to think of it, I'm lucky. I saw all of those things. I see them yet.

*Reprinted with permission by the Los Angeles Times

Jim Murray Memorial Foundation | P.O. Box 60753 | Pasadena | CA | 91116


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Ray Macias (Kamloops, 2003-07) signed a one-year contract with the Schwenningen Wild Wings (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had six goals and 14 assists in 38 games with the Reading Royals (ECHL), was pointless in two games on loan to Toronto Marlies (AHL), and had one goal and two assists in three games on loan to the Springfield Falcons (AHL) last season.
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There is a bit of a WHL angle to Strait of Dover, the winner of the 153rd Queen’s Plate on Sunday at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.
Strait of Dover is owned by Terry and Wally Leong of Canyon Farms in Kelowna.
They are the parents of Jeff Sharples’ wife, Michelle. Sharples played for the Kelowna Wings, Spokane Chiefs and Portland Winterhawks (1984-87).
A pilot, Sharples now flies for Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air, mostly out of Seattle. Tim Wharnsby of cbc.ca has more on the Queen’s Plate right here.
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The late Fred Shero, one of the most influential coaches in hockey’s history, isn’t in the Hockey Hall of Fame? . . . Larry Brooks of the New York Post makes the case that he should be. . . . That piece is right here. . . . Oh, and Brooks is right.
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With the NHL draft having come and gone, some teams, at least those holding development camps, are in the process of signing up undrafted players.
For starters, F Brandon Magee of the Victoria Royals and F Stephane Legault of the Edmonton Oil Kings will join the Edmonton Oil Kings’ camp. . . . D Myles Bell of the Kelowna Rockets is off to New York to skate with Rangers’ hopefuls. . . . F T.J. Foster of the Edmonton Oil Kings has accepted an invitation from the Dallas Stars.

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By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The wait paid off for centre Colin Smith, but he came awfully close to being shut out again.
Smith, who is preparing for his fourth season with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the seventh round of the NHL draft on Saturday, one year after he went through untouched.
In a draft in which 211 players were selected, he was No. 192.
“I was watching it,” Smith said. “It was nice once it happened.”
The Blazers ended up having two players taken, with Tim Bozon, who spent last season on the left wing alongside Smith, going to the Montreal Canadiens in the third round, 64th overall.
While Bozon was in Pittsburgh for the draft, Smith, who turned 19 on Wednesday, stayed at home in Edmonton.
“It was starting to get a little bit . . . yeah,” Smith said of the wait to be drafted. “To me, it’s not mattering that it was the seventh round; it’s just a foot in the door.”
As he said, now he “can go to work and try to prove to that one team” what he is capable of doing.
Smith was selected seventh overall by the Blazers in the WHL’s 2008 bantam draft. He has played three complete seasons with Kamloops, last season reaching career highs in goals (35), assists (50) and points (85).
In each of the last two summers, Smith was in camps run by his hometown Oilers; he attended their development camp once and also played for them at a prospects’ tournament in Penticton.
The Avalanche drafted five forwards on the weekend, four of them, like Smith, at 5-foot-11 or less. That, Smith said, is something that should work to his advantage.
“That’s exactly it,” he stated. “I just want to get my foot in the door.”
The Avalanche aren’t one of the NHL teams that will have a development camp in the next while, but Smith said the team is bringing in draft picks for testing early in July.
The Avalanche used a third-round pick on centre Troy Bourke of the Prince George Cougars. Smith doesn’t know Bourke — “Just from playing against him,” he said — but he does know goaltender Kieran Millan, a product of Boston University who was a Colorado draft pick in 2009 and signed last month. Millan is engaged to Smith’s sister.
“It’s a good fit,” Smith said. “It works out.”
Bozon, meanwhile, was quick to don a Canadiens’ sweater and cap before being interviewed.
“The hardest part is yet to come,” Bozon told Marc de Foy of Le Journal de Montreal, adding that being “drafted is not really what counts. Everyone starts at the same level.
“The important thing is to play in the NHL one day. “
Bozon was born in St. Louis when his father, Philippe, was playing for the Blues. Tim claims Lugano, Switzerland, as home, but has played internationally for France, twice suiting up in IIHF U-18 world championships.
If you want to refer to him as a French player, Bozon was the first player from France to be drafted in 11 years. On top of that, no Frenchman has been drafted earlier than 64th.
“I’m very happy,” Philippe told NHL.com. “I played my major junior hockey in St-Jean and I went to go watch the games at the (Montreal) Forum. It was my childhood dream, so to see Tim have a chance to be part of an organization that I would have liked to be a part of makes me very proud.”
Philippe, a member of the IIHF Hall of Fame, played for the QMJHL’s St-Jean Beavers (1984-87), who played out of a Montreal suburb.
The Canadiens know what they got in the Western Conference’s rookie of the year, who had 71 points, including 36 goals. Now they want him to get bigger and stronger.
“We know his strength and conditioning coach in Switzerland and his work ethic and commitment to his off-ice preparation is going extremely well this summer,” Trevor Timmins, the Habs’ director of procurement and player development, told Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette. “That’s key for him. He has to add size and strength but he has natural scoring ability.”
———       
Kamloops left-winger Brendan Ranford wasn’t selected. He had been a seventh-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 but didn’t get an NHL contract, despite putting up 178 points, including 73 goals, in 137 games over the last two seasons.
Not being drafted makes Ranford, 20, a free agent and he is certain to land a tryout somewhere.
His agent, Mark MacKay, reported Sunday that there has been “a lot of interest . . . just waiting on a couple of clubs.”
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Of course, a number of draft-eligible Blazers weren’t selected, but at least one of them survived with his sense of humour intact.
Later Saturday, defenceman Tyler Hansen, 19, tweeted:
“So happy the panthers took the chance on me and drafted me in the 8th round today #dreamcometrue.”
Of course, the draft was only seven rounds in length.
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JUST NOTES: Philippe Bozon is between coaching gigs, having worked for Swiss teams in Geneva, Lugano and Sierre. Bob Hartley, the new head coach of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, has coached in Switzerland and, yes, Bozon has applied for an assistant coaching position there. . . . Should Tim Bozon play for the Canadiens, he would become the second player from France to do so. The other? G Cristobal Huet (2005-08). . . . Huet, by the way, is a close friend of the Bozon family. . . . The OHL had 48 players selected, while 32 were from the WHL and 19 from the QMJHL. Of all players selected, 98 are Canadian and 56 from the U.S. Interestingly, those 56 players were spread throughout 17 states.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jade Galbraith (Saskatoon, 2000-01) signed a one-year contract extension with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). Galbraith led the league in scoring and assists, was a first team all-star selection, and was the Elite League Player of the Year as he posted 38 goals and 63 assists in 58 games for the Clan last season. . .  .
F Tyker Czuba, who played in one playoff game for Red Deer in 2003, signed a one-year contract with Miskolci Jegesmedve (Hungary, MOL Liga). He had 27 goals and 11 assists in 25 games for Montpellier (France, Division 1) last season. Czuba finished in a tie for most goals in Division 1 last season.
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The latest edition of DubNation is available right here.
It’s more than 70 pages of major junior-related stuff, including some terrific photos, a feature on Portland Winterhawks star Sven Baertschi, a look at the artwork done by Taylor Vause of the Swift Current Broncos, a flashback to when Don Cherry played in the Memorial Cup.
It’s all created by Doyle Potenteau and it’s all free.
So . . . check it out!
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The NHL draft had hardly ended Saturday when the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Post-Dispatch, “notified four amateur scouts that they will not be back with the club — Brian Bates, Andrew Shaw, Artem Telepin and John Williams, who was assistant director of amateur scouting.” . . . Portzline reports that “Bates, Telepin and Williams had been with the Blue Jackets since before they took the ice for their inaugural season in 2000-01. Williams, who scouted Western Canada and especially the Western Hockey League, had a heavy hand in the Blue Jackets' last two No. 1 draft picks, Ryan Johansen (2010) and Ryan Murray (2012).”
It was only a year ago (June 7, 2011) when the Blue Jackets dumped Don Boyd, who was the assistant general manager, and Bob Strumm, their director of pro scouting.
“We believe it was time to make changes in key areas of our organization as we strive to build a championship-caliber team,” Scott Howson, the team’s VP of hockey operations and GM, said at the time.
Boyd had started with Columbus as director of amateur scouting in 1999. Strumm also had been there since 1999.
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It would seem that large goaltenders remain in vogue with NHL teams. The Goalie Guild (@The Goalie Guild) tweeted a draft breakdown by height. . . . Two at 6-foot-5. . . . Five at 6-foot-4. . . . Three at 6-foot-3. . . . Five at 6-foot-2. . . . Seven at 6-foot-1. . . . One each at 6-foot-0 and 5-foot-11. . . .
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Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail reports right here that Hockey Calgary’s desire to remove body checking for peewee players (ages 11 and 12) has been shot down after the city’s 24 associations voted, via secret ballot, to defeat two motions that would have gotten rid of checking prior to next season.
Never mind that a five-year-old study, comparing injuries in this age group between Alberta and Quebec, where hitting isn’t allowed, “showed there was a 33 per cent increase in injuries in Alberta and a higher risk of concussion,” Maki writes.
It will be interesting to see if Hockey Calgary experiences a decrease in registration as those youngsters who don’t want to be banged around gravitate to soccer or baseball or something less physical.


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Just last week, Andy Zhang became the youngest golfer ever to play in the U.S. Open. He is 14. “When I was 14,” writes Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald, “the focus of my golf game was on hitting the ball through the windmill.” . . . “The Regina Humane Society is encouraging its volunteers to bring books to the shelter and read to dogs,” according to Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon Express. “The program will help dogs prepare for downtime at home when they are adopted, the society said on its website. If the program is a success, volunteers will read to the Regina Rams.” . . . One more from Hutchinson: “Matthew McConaughey married Camila Alves in a private ceremony. The bride wore white and the groom wore shirtless.” . . .
“Sidney Crosby will reportedly be offered a 10-year deal worth $90 million,” scribbles R.J. Currie over at SportsDeke.com. “It’s conditional on Penguins management having their heads examined.” . . . Currie, again: “Maria Sharapova finally won the French Open. Thus she completes the career Grunt Slam.” . . . A poll on Twitter asked: “If you could have two living people (broadcasting) tonight’s baseball game, who would you choose?” . . . Oakland A’s pitcher Brandon McCarthy, who is from L.A., replied: “Vin Scully and someone to get him water.” . . .
Ron Judd of the Seattle Times, after a June 14 rally in Seattle: “That rollicking crowd of Sonics fans, estimated by organizers to be 66.6 million, sure was having a great time, building critical public momentum for a ‘self-financing’ arena proposal that includes what amounts to a $200-million public payday loan from a cash-strapped city to one of the world’s richest men. It was almost a shame when that darn bell rang and ended recess.” . . . One more from Judd: “If it ever does come to fruition, future Seattle NBA fans must promise one thing: For the love of God, never agree to come to a game all dressed up in the same shirt. The newest lame trend in fan conformity is like watching a sports event played before the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.” . . .
Brendan Langlois, the aspiring stock car driver from Kamloops, is back at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida. He’ll run a 100-lap Pro Late Model race on June 30 to make up for a March race that got rained out. He’s still driving for TRI Racing, which is owned by Tim and David Russell of Apopka, Fla. . . . “People in L.A. marking the Kings’ series-clinching victory over the New Jersey Devils were reasonably well-behaved,” notes Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader-Post, “as evidenced by the fact only six arrests were made after the game. Just one question: Why were those six Vancouver Canucks fans at the game, anyway?” . . . Former Kamloops Blazers head coach Dean Evason was named head coach of the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals on Tuesday. On Wednesday, wearing shorts and flip-flops, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Brewers and the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. . . .
After the embarrassingly bad judges’ decision that gave Timothy Bradley a split decision over Manny Pacquiao, Richmond blogger T.C. Chong wrote: “Who knew that major league umpires were moonlighting as boxing judges?’’ . . . Here’s Greg Cote, in the Miami Herald: “Knicks guard Jeremy Lin won trademark rights to the word ‘Linsanity.’ Anybody have the heart to tell Jeremy his 15 minutes are already up?” . . .
“It’s like the back of Cheech and Chong’s van,” offers Rick Ball, the radio voice of the B.C. Lions on The Team 1410, as smoke obscures the uprights at Commonwealth Stadium as the Edmonton Eskimos attempt a convert on Thursday night. . . . The Kentucky Wildcats, the defending NCAA men’s basketball champs, are raising ticket prices in a move that should bring in US$3.5 million. According to Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “Increases range from $5 a ticket to $5,000 for unobstructed views of Ashley Judd.” . . . A tweet from Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Terence Newman: “If I had 10 minutes to live, I’d want them to be in NBA minutes.” . . .
Outfielder Tyson Gillies of Kamloops hasn’t played for the Class AA Reading Phillies since suffering a concussion on May 26 and, in fact, is on the disabled list. He isn’t likely to play again until sometime next month. Gillies got into only 31 games over the last two seasons due to injuries so this is nothing new to him. But he has played in 42 games this season and was hitting .280 and riding a seven-game hitting streak when he was injured in an outfield collision. . . . Rafael Nadal, the French Open champ, reported that a watch worth $347,000 — it was a Richard Mille RM027 ultra-light tourbillon — disappeared from his hotel room in Paris. “If I’m spending $347,000 for a watch,” notes Cote, “it had better be able to turn back the hands of time.” . . . Police later arrested a hotel barman who allegedly used his passcard to gain entrance to the room and then lifted the watch. . . . Headline at TheOnion.com: Dad insists perfect games were better when he was young.
(Gregg Drinnan is sports editor of The Daily News. He is at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca, gdrinnan.blogspot.com and twitter.com/gdrinnan. Keeping Score appears Saturdays,except when it doesn’t.)


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Marc Habscheid is moving on up.
Habscheid, who has spent the last three seasons as general manager and head coach of the WHL’s Victoria Royals franchise, is moving into an executive position with GSL Holdings Ltd., the parent company of RG Properties Ltd., and the Royals.
Habscheid told Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist that it was a mutual agreement between him and owner Graham Lee.
“He is the boss and I respect him . . . it’s the right time,” Habscheid said.
Asked if Habscheid had been pushed away from the Royals, Lee replied: “No, absolutely not. This was a mutually discussed decision.”
Later, Habscheid added:
“Graham and I talked about it and it’s a two-fold family and business decision. Now seemed like the perfect time. I can spend more time with the family. I will have weekends to myself. . . . I haven’t had them for awhile. And I can learn the business and tech side of the company.”
Habscheid, 49, played six games with the Kamloops Jr. Oilers in 1982-83 and later coached the Kamloops Blazers for two seasons (1997-99), guiding them to the WHL’s championship final in the spring of 1999. He went on to a stint as head coach of the Kelowna Rockets, taking them to the Memorial Cup championship on home ice in 2003.
After a brief time as the associate coach under head coach Dave Lewis with the NHL’s Boston Bruins, Habscheid joined the then-Chilliwack Bruins for 2009-10 and was there for two seasons. He made the move to Vancouver Island with the franchise a year ago, after it was sold to RG Properties and renamed the Royals.
The Royals went 24-41-7 last season, finishing seventh in the 10-team Western Conference, and then were swept by the Blazers from a first-round playoff series.
According to a news release issued Friday by GSL, Habscheid “will be taking on a new executive role within GSL to assist GSL in developing other hockey related businesses.”
GSL owns such things as Officepools.com, which bills itself as “the world’s largest on-line hockey pool site,” Planet Ice and Planet Youth Hockey, a charity program that helps inner city kids.
According to the GSL release, Habscheid “will be involved in advising these existing businesses as well as assisting in developing new hockey-related business opportunities.”
The released added: “In taking on this new role within GSL, Marc will be relinquishing his responsibilities with the hockey team.”
This move leaves three WHL teams without head coaches as the Royals join the Brandon Wheat Kings, who fired Cory Clouston after the season, and the Kootenay Ice, who dismissed Kris Knoblauch, as he was to interview for the head-coaching position with the U of Alberta Golden Bears while under contract to the WHL team.
Speculation on the Royals’ next general manager will, at least in the early going, focus on Doug Soetaert. The 56-year-old Soetaert was unexpectedly fired by the Everett Silvertips on Feb. 2 after working as their general manager for more than seven seasons. He later filed a lawsuit against the Silvertips, seeking what he claims are unpaid wages, along with damages and legal expenses.
Clouston, 42, who also coached the Ice, and Knoblauch, 33, both may be in the running.
According to Dheensaw, Lee isn’t sure whether he will split the GM and head-coaching duties.
“We’ll see what the candidates look like,” Lee said. “There’s quite a bit of interest among people out there in coming to Victoria. There are a lot of good candidates. We’re keeping an open mind.”
Dave Hunchak, the associate coach with the Blazers who has one year left on his contract, would seem to be a logical candidate, but Lee told Dheensaw: “All the people we are looking at are currently not with jobs.”
JUST NOTES: While meeting with media in Victoria, Habscheid said his son Zach, a 20-year-old defenceman, won’t be back with the Royals. He has played three years in the WHL, the first two with the Bruins, but injuries, including concussions, limited him to 53, 45 and, last season, 41 games. He has career totals of 13 points, including two goals, and 195 penalty minutes.
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Brad Schmidt of The Oregonian reports that “Portland’s plan to renovate and greenify the aging Veterans Memorial Coliseum has met financial reality: There isn’t enough green to pay for everything.”
The Coliseum, of course, is home to the Portland Winterhawks.
It seems that costs have gone up by a third since November and negotiations with the Winterhawks, who have said they will be financially involved, perhaps for as much as $10 million, are four months behind schedule.
Schmidt’s story is right here.
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With the NHL partying in Pittsburgh as it holds its two-day draft, Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail, as he only can do, writes today about “a fear of Fehr.” . . . NHL owners, MacGregor writes, “are determined to address the minimum salary-cap issue.” . . . The NHL and NHLPA are soon to begin negotiations on a new CBA. And, at the moment, all signs point to another work stoppage.
MacGregor’s thoughts are right here.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Dylan Stanley (Tri-City, 2000-05) signed a one-year contract with EV Bozen 84 Bolzano (Italy, Serie A2). He had 18 goals and 34 assists in 21 games with Bad Nauheim (Germany, Oberliga) last season. . . .
D Benn Olson (Kamloops, Seattle, 2004-08) signed a one-year contract with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). Olson played with four teams last season, getting one goal in 17 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL), one goal in nine games with the Ontario Reign (ECHL), and going pointless in one game with the Houston Aeros (AHL) and 11 games with the Alaska Aces (ECHL). . . .
F Wacey Rabbit (Saskatoon, Vancouver, 2001-07) signed a one-year contract with Lørenskog (Norway, GET-Ligaen). He had two goals and 12 assists in 71 games with the San Antonio Rampage (AHL) and four assists in three games with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) last season. . . .
F Vitali Karamnov (Everett, 2007-08) signed a one-year contract with Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL). He had 17 goals and 10 assists in 53 games with VMF St. Petersburg (Russia, Vysshaya Liga) last season. . . .
F Igor Valeyev (Lethbridge, Saskatoon, Swift Current, 1998-2000) signed a one-year contract with Buran Voronezh (Russia, Vysshaya Liga). He had seven goals and seven assists in 30 games for Kazzinc-Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan, Russia Vysshaya Liga) and one assist in one game with Kazzinc-Torpedo-2 Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Vysshaya Liga) last season.
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Cascadia Sports Systems of Port Moody, B.C., has finished installing new acrylic glass in Credit Union Centre, the home of the Saskatoon Blades and the host building for the 2013 Memorial Cup.
Mal Paterson, co-owner of Cascadia Sports Systems, tells Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that the key to his company's design is that each pane of glass is eight feet wide, doubling the conventional width. Paterson said the posts that divide the glass can bend up to five feet.
The buildings in Calgary, Edmonton, Portland and Vancouver also feature acrylic glass.
Nugent-Bowman’s story is right here.
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F Scott MacDonald, who played one season with the Chilliwack Bruins (2008-09) and two with the Everett Silvertips (2009-11), will play next season with the UBC Thunderbirds under head coach Milan Dragicevic. MacDonald had 66 points in 192 regular-season WHL games before playing last season with the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks, who lost the championship final to the Green Bay Gamblers. He had 31 points in 49 regular-season games with Waterloo.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads are poised to introduce Brad Ralph as their new head coach on Saturday. He will replace Hardy Sauter who was let go after the season. Ralph has spent the last two seasons as head coach of the Southern Professional league’s Augusta RiverHawks. . . .
Fred Harbinson, the general manager and head coach of the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, has agreed to a five-year contract extension that takes him through 2018-19. Harbinson led the Vees to a BCHL-record 54 victories and the RBC Cup last season. . . . Harbinson has completed five seasons with the Vees. . . . Last season, the club set BCHL records for victories (54) and points (110). . . . Harbinson told Fraser Rodgers, the team’s radio voice, that assistant coaches Steve Cawley, Mike Hengen and Matt Sells will be back for 2012-13. . . .
Bill Bestwick, who was out of hockey last season and calls it the worst winter of his life, is back, this time as head coach of the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies. The team also has a new majority owner, meaning that Len Barrie is out.
Mario Annicchiarico of the Victoria Times Colonist has more right here.
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This is just too good to pass up. The crazy bunch at MAD magazine has prepared a plaque just in case Roger Clemens gets elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. It is right here.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From former Edmonton Oil Kings F Tyler Maxwell (@KingMaxymus23): “Goodbye California. I am leaving you for Austria. Maybe when I get back I will run for Governor.”
Maxwell, who played out his junior eligibility last season with the WHL-champion Oil Kings, has signed with Red Bull Salzburg, the Austrian league team that is coached by Pierre Pagé.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Justin Keller (Kelowna, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had 20 goals and 19 assists in 44 games with Linz Black Wings (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) last season. Keller led the league in playoff goals with nine in helping Linz win the league championship. . . .
F Konstantin Pushkaryov (Calgary, 2004-05) signed a two-year contract with Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had one goal and two assists in 20 games with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL) and five goals and two assists in six games on assignment to Barys-2 Astana (Kazakhstan, Premier League) last season. . . .
F Tyler Metcalfe (Seattle, 1999-2005) signed a one-year contract with Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 14 goals and 23 assists in 50 games for Arystan Temirtau (Kazakhstan, Premier League) last season. . . .
F Michal Repik (Vancouver, 2005-08) signed a one-year contract with Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL). He had 14 goals and 21 assists in 55 games with the San Antonio Rampage (AHL) and two goals and three assists in 17 games with the Florida Panthers (NHL) last season. . . .
F Cody Almond (Kelowna, 2005-09) signed a three-year contract with Genève-Servette (Switzerland, NL A). He had seven goals and eight assists in 46 games with the Houston Aeros (AHL) and one goal in 10 games with the Minnesota Wild (NHL) last season. According to the press release from Genève-Servette, it was discovered that Almond has dual Canadian-Swiss citizenship; thus, he will not count as an import.
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The Central league’s Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees have ceased operations after nine seasons. “The economics of playing in the Valley are no longer financially viable,” reads a news release issued by the organization. “The loss of Laredo for this coming season and the losses of close rivals such as Corpus Christi and Austin in recent years have created a larger financial burden than the team can bear.”
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F Brendan Leipsic of the Portland Winterhawks was honoured Tuesday night as Winnipeg’s Jewish Athlete of the Year at the 40th annual Y Sports Dinner. Leipsic, 18, had 58 points, including 28 goals, in 65 games with Portland. He is eligible for this weekend’s NHL draft.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed two members of their front office to multi-year extensions. . . . Alan Millar, who has been director of hockey operations for two seasons, also has had his title changed to general manager. . . . Corey Nyhagen, the director of business operations, also received an extension. . . . The length of the extensions wasn’t announced.
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Dan Elliott is the new manager of media relations for UBC Athletics. Elliott starred as a linebacker with the Thunderbirds football team (1994-98) and was an integral part of the Vanier Cup-wining team in 1997. He was a two-year captain (1997-98), a three-time Canada West all-star (1996-98) and a second team All-Canadian (1998). . . . Elliott spent the last two seasons as the radio voice of the Vancouver Giants for whom he also handled media relations.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dave MacQueen, a veteran OHL coach, has signed on as head coach of the Dornbirn Bulldogs in Austria. . . . He had been general manager and head coach of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting from 2006 until being fired on Feb. 6, 2011. . . .
Craig Hartsburg, the former Everett Silvertips head coach (2009-11), is off to the Columbus Blue Jackets as associate coach to head coach Todd Richards. Hartsburg spent last season with the Calgary Flames, but was dumped after the season with one year left on his contract. With Columbus, he replaces Brad Berry,  who left to return to the U of North Dakota coaching staff. . . . The Blue Jackets also added Keith Acton as an assistant coach. He was last on the staff of the Toronto Maple Leafs. . . .
Dean Evason, who was named Tuesday as head coach of the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Wednesday’s game between the Brewers and the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. He did it while wearing shorts and flip-flops, and Brewers slugger Ryan Braun apparently hit it about 600 feet.

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Rick Brodsky, the owner of the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, has owned the NAHL’s Wichita Falls, Texas, Wildcats for eight seasons. That run, however, is about to end as Brodsky sells his share to New Jersey businessman Alex Shnayderman, who grew up in Winnipeg.
The NAHL board is expected to approve the deal today.
Head coach Paul Baxter owns part of the team, as does local businessman Roy Davoult.
When Brodsky got involved in the team’s ownership — he actually took over a franchise that was struggling with debt — he had hoped to be able to help provide better players for the Wildcats.
That never happened.
"I thought we'd be able to get really good talent from the WHL, and that just never developed whatsoever," Brodsky told Zach Duncan of the Wichita Falls Times Record News. “Good American players were being recruited by Canadian Tier II teams that were able to pay them instead."
Duncan’s complete story is right here.
It’s worth noting that Brodsky quite enjoyed his stint as the Wildcats’ owner. He liked nothing better than to head down to Wichita Falls and accompany the team on a road trip, oftentimes taking a turn driving the team bus.
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The Kamloops Blazers kept it all in the family Tuesday as they announced the signing of forward Nick Chyzowski to a WHL contract.
Chyzowski, 15, was the 44th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. The Blazers dealt a second-round pick in the 2013 draft and a 2012 fourth-rounder to the Edmonton Oil Kings in order to grab Chyzowski at No. 44.
Chyzowski’s father, Dave, is a former Blazers forward (1987-90) who now is the team’s director of sales and marketing. The New York Islanders selected Dave with the second overall pick of the NHL’s 1989 draft; the Quebec Nordiques took Mats Sundin with the first selection. Chyzowski played 126 NHL games before going on to a lengthy career in Europe.
Nick, who actually signed the contract a couple of weeks ago, said he feels “a little bit” of pressure playing for his father’s former team, “but I think I’ll be able to deal with it.”
Last season, Chyzowski captained the bantam AAA Jardine’s Blazers and led them in scoring, with 83 points, including 41 goals, in 49 games. He is expected to play next season with the major midget Thompson Blazers.
Chyzowski describes himself as “a good two-way forward. I’ve good defensive ability and I also have good offensive awareness.”
While he recognizes that genetics may have something to do with the ability he has shown to this point, he added that “it’s also a lot of because of who I am.”
As one might expect, he said “it’s really exciting” to sign with the Blazers.
He added that on draft day “I was really excited . . . I know it’s a big accomplishment to get drafted but it’s only the beginning.”
Last week, the Blazers signed forward Jayden Halbgewachs, their first-round pick, 19th overall, in the 2012 draft. He is from Emerald Park, Sask.
Halbgewachs and Chyzowski are expected to attend the Blazers’ rookie camp that is scheduled to open on Aug. 23.
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A couple of interesting NHL draft-related tweets from James Mirtle (@mirtle) of The Globe and Mail:
“Only two players drafted later than 42nd in 2010 draft have played an NHL game in two seasons since. Most picks after Round 1 are projects.”
“And only 11 players out of 210 two years ago have played an entire NHL season. So few of these kids bring immediate help to a team.”
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The BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies have a news conference scheduled for today at which they are expected to introduce Bill Bestwick as their head coach. Bestwick is a long-time Nanaimo Clippers general manager and head coach, who at present is a Nanaimo city councillor. . . . Mira Laurence of CTV News Vancouver Island broke the Bestwick story.
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F James Henry and G Deven Dubyk, both of whom completed their major junior eligibility last season in the WHL, have agreed to join the U of Manitoba Bisons. . . . Henry played more than four seasons with the Vancouver Giants, before being dealt to the Moose Jaw Warriors laste season. He finished with 71 points in 69 games split between the two teams. . . . Dubyk finished last season with the Red Deer Rebels, after starting with Moose Jaw and then moving on to the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dean Evason has left the Washington Capitals and signed on as head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators. Evason had been an assistant coach with Washington for seven seasons. In Milwaukee, he takes over from Ian Herbers, now head coach of the U of Alberta Golden Bears. . . . With Washington looking for a head coach to replace Dale Hunter, there was no guarantee that Evason would be back with the Capitals. . . .
Former NHL D Drake Berehowsky is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears. They have an affiliation with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. . . . Berehowsky had spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen. . . . The Solar Bears are preparing for their first season in the ECHL. Orlando had an IHL franchise from 1995-2001. . . .
Dale Hunter, who stepped aside as the Washington Capitals head coach following the season, has returned as head coach of the OHL’s London Knights. With him back, his brother, Mark, goes back to being only the general manager. . . . The Knights are the OHL’s defending champions. . . . Dale had been their head coach since November 2001. He left in November 2011 to replace Bruce Boudreau as Washington’s head coach.
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The legendary Red Fisher is retiring after 58 years as a sports writer, first with the Montreal Star and then the Montreal Gazette. . . . Ken Dryden, as only he can do, writes about Fisher’s career right here.
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Ryan Leaf, once the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft, appeared in a courtroom in Great Falls, Mont., on Tuesday. “I’m lazy, and dishonest and selfish,” Leaf told the court. “These were behaviors I had before my addiction kicked in.” . . . If you have followed Leaf’s post-football time, this is an amazingly sad story. Kimball Bennion of the Great Falls Tribune was in court and has the story right here.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Tyson Marsh (Vancouver, 2001-04) signed a one-year contract with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). He had two goals and one assist in 16 games with Riessersee (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) and one goal and six assists in 33 games with the Alaska Aces (ECHL) last season. . . .
D Mike Egener (Calgary, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). He had one goal and nine assists in 33 games with Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) last season. Egener's 235 PIM were the most in the league.
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Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada filed his latest 30 Thoughts piece on Monday afternoon and it’s right here. As usual, it’s entertaining and informative.
And make sure you read all the way to the bottom because the last item may be where the most juice is.
Brian Burke, over to you!
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The QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are the latest major junior team to separate the hockey and business operations. Pierre Rioux was named general manager of hockey operations last month. Now the Screaming Eagles have named Peter MacDonald as the general manager of business operations. He has been the club’s director of marketing for seven years.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Clark Donatelli has been named head coach of the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers. He had been the interim head coach since replacing Stan Drulia in December. Drulia left Wheeling to join the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals as an assistant coach. . . . Wheeling was 26-20-9 under Donatelli. . . . The Nailers are the ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, a 12-year relationship that also has been renewed. . . .
Curt Fraser has signed on as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Dallas Stars. He had spent the last four seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Fraser fills the spot vacated by associate coach Willie Desjardins, who now is head coach of the Texas Stars, Dallas’s AHL affiliate. . . .
Phil Housley, the former all-star NHL defenceman, has been named head coach the U.S. national junior team that will play in Ufa, Russia, beginning on Dec. 26. . . . Housley, from South St. Paul, Minn., has coached at Stillwater High School in Minnesota for eight seasons and was an assistant coach on the U.S. junior team that finished third in Buffalo in 2011 and the bronze medal-winners in 2007. . . . The U.S. team also announced its selection camp roster and it includes D Seth Jones of the Portland Winterhawks, F Logan Nelson of the Victoria Royals and F Henrik Samuelsson of the Edmonton Oil Kings. The camp will be held Aug. 4-11 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

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