THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Shawn Limpright (Moose Jaw, 1998-2002) signed a one-year contract with Mulhouse (France, Ligue Magnus). He had 28 goals and 53 assists in 65 games for the Rapid City Rush (CHL) this season, which was good enough for fifth in CHL scoring. . . .
F Lance Monych (Brandon, 1999-2005) signed a one-year contract with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, Oberliga). He had 29 goals and 30 assists in 27 games with Ratinger Ice Aliens (Germany, Oberliga) this season.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Former WHL coach John Becanic is back in the game. Becanic, who has WHL coaching experience in Everett, Seattle and Vancouver, spent this season as head coach of the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild. He left the Wild at the end of the season. . . . He now is the head coach the Team Seattle Major Bantam Team. . . . Team Seattle is the combined rep teams for Seattle Junior Hockey and Sno-King Amateur Hockey. . . .
Ron Gay is the new general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Indiana Ice. Gay takes over from Charlie Skjodt, who is back to being the club’s president. Gay has been with the Ice since September 2011 when he signed on as skills development coach and head coach of the Indiana Jr. Ice U18 team.
———
Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun has more right here on the 15-year-old hockey player who drew a suspension from some summer tournaments after he slashed a linesman during a game in Brandon. It turns out he is a draft pick of the Prince Albert Raiders.
———
Just in case you don’t yet understand that major junior hockey is a big, big business, check out this piece right here by Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette.
———
Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News notes right here that the agreement between the CHL and NHL is in need of an adjustment. It is time, he writes, that players drafted by NHL teams out of the CHL be provided with the same options as those drafted out of NCAA programs.
———
Sean McMorrow, the former Rochester Americans tough guy, was sentenced to 24 months in a federal prison on Wednesday. Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle has the story right here.
———
“A culture is shifting sharply,” writes Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal. He is referring to football and its culture of violence. He points out that many mothers and fathers are having second thoughts about allowing their children to play football, and if there aren’t any feeder leagues – “those furthest from the paychecks” as Jonah Lahrer of Grantland.com puts it – there won’t be an NFL.
A world without the NFL? Don’t laugh.
Gay’s piece is right here.
———
Today is the day for a number of WHL players who were selected in the 2010 NHL draft. If a player from that draft doesn’t sign an NHL contract by today, he becomes eligible for the 2012 draft.
As of late last night, D Alex Theriau, D Troy Rutkowski, D Tyler Stahl, D Brandon Davidson, D Ricard Blidstrand, F Brendan Ranford and F Josh Nicholls had yet to sign.
The Philadelphia Flyers aren’t expected to sign Blidstrand, but have been negotiating with Ranford’s agent, former WHLer Mark MacKay.
The Calgary Flames said Wednesday that they won’t sign Kootenay Ice D Joey Leach, who was a third-round selection.
Check out Alan Caldwell’s blog, Small Things at Large, for a list of who has signed and who hasn’t.
I would suggest the one real surprise here Rutkowski, who was a fifth-round selection by the Colorado Avalanche. Rutkowski had a terrific playoff and is a big-time shotblocker, something that seems to be popular in NHL circles these days.

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Two fans of the Red Deer Rebels
get married in Mexico.

THE MacBETH REPORT:F Max Brandl (Prince Albert, Portland, 2007-09) signed a one-year contract extension with the Landshut Cannibals (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had 11 goals and 19 assists in 47 games for the 2.Bundesliga champion Cannibals. . . .
D Ivan Barenka (Everett, 2003-05) signed a one-year contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL). He had five goals and 16 assists in 47 games for Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL), where he was an alternate captain for Spartak this season. . . .
F Tyler Maxwell (Everett, Edmonton, 2008-12) signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had 37 goals and 34 assists in 66 games split between Everett and Edmonton this season. Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald has the story right here.
———
The photo at the top of today’s entry was tweeted by Kasla Millar (@kayla_millar), along with this: “My husband and I got married in Mexico and look what we brought with us! #rebelpride”
———
The U of Alberta has hired Ian Herbers as its latest hockey coach.
Herbers (Kelowna, Spokane, Lethbridge, Swift Current, 1984-88) is a former U of A player. He takes over from Stan Marple, who now is the program’s general manager. Marple coached one season after replacing Eric Thurston (Victoria, 1981-84).
Herbers has been coaching for nine seasons, the last three with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. He took over as head coach early this season when Kirk Muller signed on as head coach with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.
It was a desire to have the U of A position that ultimately cost Kris Knoblauch his head-coaching position with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice.
Knoblauch completed two season’s as the Ice’s head coach and, in fact, won the WHL’s 2011 championship in Cranbrook. When the U of A posted its head-coaching position, Marple contacted Knoblauch, who expressed an interest but had one year remaining on his contract with the Ice.
Chynoweth provided Knoblauch with a one-week window to explore the situation, but then was led to believe that Knoblauch would fulfil the terms of his contract. Chynoweth later gave Knoblauch a one-year extension, taking him through 2013-14.
It is worth noting that despite the fact Knoblauch was under contract, no one from the U of A contacted Chynoweth to ask for permission to speak with Knoblauch. (I am told that one U of A player has apologized to Chynoweth, via email, for the way all of this was handled.)
However, when Chynoweth learned Friday that Knoblauch was on the U of A’s shortlist and, in fact, was scheduled to be interviewed, he terminated his head coach’s contract.
(Evan Daum of the Edmonton Journal has more right here on how the U of A search for a head coach turned into something of a gong show.
(Robin Brownlee, over at oilersnation.com, says the whole thing doesn’t pass the smell test. That’s right here.)
At this point in time, there are two WHL teams without head coaches — the Ice and Brandon Wheat Kings, whose owner, Kelly McCrimmon, fired Cory Clouston earlier this month.
Clouston, of course, is a former Kootenay head coach, but don’t expect him to re-surface with the Ice.
And while you’re at it, you can scratch Dean Chynoweth, Jeff’s brother, off the list, too. Dean is available, having been fired from his position as assistant coach by the New York Islanders when their season ended. Yeah, that was all his fault, just like the Calgary Flames’ woes last season were Ryan McGill’s fault. The Flames, you’ll recall, dropped McGill as an assistant coach after the 2010-11 season.
McGill, of course, is another former Ice coach. He was out of hockey this season. Might he be interested in a return to Cranbrook? Likely not, but never say never.
The Wheat Kings, meanwhile, aren’t likely to hire a head coach unless Clouston finds work elsewhere. He had a year left on his contract, meaning the Wheat Kings are on the hook for that unless he signs on with another organization.
The leading candidate in Brandon, at least at this moment, has to be McCrimmon. He was head coach for seven seasons prior to hiring Clouston, and the team posted 298 regular-season victories with him behind the bench.
Anyway, just for fun, here’s a look at some potential candidates for head-coaching positions — they are presented in no particular order, other than the first one who will at the top of most lists like this:
DAVE HUNCHAK: Presently the associate coach with the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Has been WHL coach for eight seasons, four as head guy in Moose Jaw. . . . .Gets lots of credit for amazing turnaround in Kamloops this season. . . . Believed to have window in contract from sometime in June into August that would allow him to move. . . . Won’t move just to become head coach. Has been there and done that. . . . Might be more interested in a position like the Milwaukee head-coaching vacancy than a move within the WHL.
JASON BECKER: Assistant coach with the Prince George Cougars since 2009. . . . Played in WHL (Saskatoon, Red Deer, Kamloops, Swift Current, 1990-94). Also played in CIS, WCHL and in Europe. . . . Was a defenceman. . . . Earlier this month was named head coach Team Pacific for the U17 World Hockey Challenge. . . . Eager, energetic, enthusiastic.
GLEN HANLON: Has coaching experience in the NHL and in Europe. . . . Former Brandon Wheat Kings goaltender just finished his first season as an assistant with the Vancouver Giants. . . . For family reasons, he isn’t likely to leave B.C.’s Lower Mainland. . . . Should Vancouver head coach Don Hay leave — let’s just say he signs on as an assistant coach under Ken Hitchcock with the St. Louis Blues — Hanlon would be the leading candidate to take over the Giants.
STEVE HAMILTON: Assistant coach with Edmonton Oil Kings for two seasons now. . . . Was GM and head coach of AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints for four seasons before joining Oil Kings. . . . Saints went 52-4-4 to win AJHL title in 2009-10. . . . A real up-and-coming candidate.
DAVE LOWRY: Was head coach of Calgary Hitmen for one season (2008-09), going 59-9-4. . . . Promptly moved up to the parent Calgary Flames where he spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach before being dumped after this season.
JON KLEMM: Former WHL and pro defenceman has been an assistant coach with the Spokane Chiefs for three seasons. . . . Played 773 regular-season NHL games. . . . He’s from Cranbrook.
CHAD MERCIER: General manager and head coach of AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs since April 2006. . . . Former WHL goaltender with WHL coaching experience with the Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades. . . . One of these summers his phone is going to ring.
MALCOLM CAMERON: Just complete his first season as an assistant coach under Pat Conacher with the Regina Pats. . . . Was head coach for nine seasons in ECHL, United league and Central league before signing with Regina. . . . Wants to be a head coach again. . . . Gets high marks from Conacher.
DARREN KRUGER: Former WHL defenceman joined the Medicine Hat Tigers’ coaching staff in January 2006. . . . Veteran assistant coach may be ready to take the giant step.
DEAN BROCKMAN: General manager and head coach of SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos. . . . Won four titles in six seasons. . . . Has been with the Broncos for 11 seasons. . . . Would he leave the farm?
GORD THIBODEAU: General manager and head coach of AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. . . . Has been with the Oil Barons since 2003-04. . . . Applied for head coaching job at U of Alberta. That position was attractive as he is from Edmonton, his family lives there and he played for the Golden Bears. . . . Perhaps he isn’t prepared to move anywhere other than Edmonton.
MIKE VANDENBERGHE: Former WHL defenceman (Moose Jaw, Brandon, Medicine Hat, 1987-92). . . . Has worked on coaching staffs with Brandon and Moose Jaw. Presently assistant coach with the Warriors. . . . Also has coached at the CIS and junior A levels. . . . Has all the qualifications. . . . But would he leave his home in Regina Beach, Sask., where you can bet that he’s been into Butler’s for fish and chips?
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Jomar Cruz has stepped aside as head coach of the MJHL’s OCN Blizzard, a franchise that is based in The Pas. Cruz, a goaltender, played in the WHL with Brandon, Tri-City and Portland (1997-2000). He had been with the Blizzard since 2006.
———
The Chicago Blackhawks made it official Tuesday. They have signed two WHL goaltenders – Kent Simpson of the Everett Silvertips and Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Simpson was a second-round selection in the 2010 NHL draft, while the Blackhawks took Carruth in the seventh round. . . . Had the players not been signed by Friday, they would have been made available in the 2012 draft. . . . Both players are 20 years of age, meaning they are eligible to play one more season in the WHL. But they also are eligible to play professionally so could end up anywhere in Chicago’s organization.
Alan Caldwell, over at Small Thoughts at Large, has been keeping track of who from the 2010 draft has signed and who hasn’t.
It appears that the Edmonton Oilers are working to sign D Brandon Davidson, who completed his eligibility with the Regina Pats this season, but will let Kootenay Ice F Drew Czerwonka re-enter the draft. Both were sixth-round selections in the 2010 draft.
———

Barclay Parneta, Tri-City’s prospect
development coach and head scout,
welcomes Parker Wotherspoon
to the Americans.

The Tri-City Americans have signed D Parker Wotherspoon to a WHL contract. He was Tri-City’s first-round selection, 21st overall, in the 2012 bantam draft. A native of Surrey, B.C., Wotherspoon had 54 points in 55 games with the bantam AAA Cloverdale Colts this season. . . . Wotherspoon is likely to play for the major midget Valley West Hawks nexdt season. . . . He is the younger brother of Portland Winterhawks D Tyler Wotherspoon.
———
An interesting note from James Shewaga, the sports editor of the Brandon Sun:
“For the first time in 19 years, organizers of the Source for Sports AAA Hockey Challenge have suspended a player indefinitely from their spring and summer hockey tournaments.
Tournament director Darryl Wolski handed the suspension to a 15-year-old player from Winnipeg for reportedly slashing a referee with his stick during the championship final of the 1997 age group division on Sunday at Westman Place. The player in question, who was selected in this year’s Western Hockey League bantam draft, was being escorted off the ice following his ejection from the game.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Josh Bonar (Kamloops, Vancouver, Regina) signed a one-year contract with Corona Brasov (Romania, Interliga). He had 20 goals and 17 assists in 30 games with Miskolci Jegesmedve (Hungary, Interliga) this season. . . .
F Pavel Brendl (Calgary, 1998-2001) signed a two-year contract and G Dusan Salficky (Tri-City, 1990-91) signed a one-year contract with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). . . . Brendl had five goals and three assists in six games to start the season with Pardubice, then had two goals and three assists in 17 games for Rapperswil (Switzerland, NL A). . . . Salficky saw action with three teams this season, all on loan from Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had a 3.52 GAA and a .897 save percentage in 12 games with Litomerice (Czech Republic, 1.Liga); 2.72 GAA and .916 save percentage in 24 games with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga); and, a 3.14 GAA and a .906 save percentage in four games with Pardubice.
———
The Kontinental Hockey League has completed its five-round entry draft during which 166 players were selected.
It was held in Chelyabinski and drew about 3,000 fans.
The complete draft is right here.
D Martin Gernat of the Edmonton Oil Kings was the first WHL player selected, going 19th overall to Salavat Yulaev.
F Sven Baertschi of the Portland Winterhawks was selected by Severstal in the third round.
D Spencer Humphries of the Calgary Hitmen was taken by Traktor Chelyabinsk in the fifth round. He was the fourth-last player selected.
———
Here’s the lead to a story by Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle:
“To his Rochester Americans teammates, Sean McMorrow was the guy who never complained, the guy whose job it was to fight his own on-ice battles — and sometimes everyone else’s.
“To the children who attended area schools, who played at community recreation centers, read at public libraries and got well at local hospitals, he was a pro athlete with a big smile and an even bigger heart.
“But to the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office, McMorrow was a drug smuggler and drug trafficker, a guy who toted marijuana and money tainted with the smell of pot to and/or from his offseason home in Toronto.”
The complete story, and it’s a good one, is right here.
———
Former WHL D Pat Pylypuik (Calgary, Lethbridge, 1986-91) is the commissioner of the Midwest Junior Hockey League, a junior A Tier III circuit that hopes to have 14 teams when it opens its first season in the fall.
James Cook of the Traverse City Record Eagle has that story right here.
---
JUST NOTES:
F John Persson of the Red Deer Rebels has signed a three-year deal with the NHL’s New York Islanders. They selected him in the fifth round of the 2011 draft. . . . Persson, a 20-year-old Swede, played three seasons with the Rebels, picking up 130 points, including 63 goals, in 200 games. . . .
The Vancouver Giants have signed F Ty Ronning and F Jesse Roach. . . . Ronning, from Burnaby, B.C., was a first-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He is the son of former NHLer Cliff Ronning. . . . Roach, a third-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft, is from Quesnel, B.C., and is the brother of Calgary Hitmen D Alex Roach. . . .
———
The incomparable Roy MacGregor writes right here about the difference between coaching defence and coaching offence, which explains why the game of hockey is going in a defensive direction right now. He also mentions micromanaging and over-coaching. Gee, you think?
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Kelly Guard is the Prince Albert Raiders’ new goaltending coach. Guard, who is from Prince Albert, played two seasons with the Kelowna Rockets, helping them to a WHL title in 2003 and the Memorial Cup championship in 2004. He takes over from Evan Lindsay with the Raiders.

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THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1981, SPORTS
Copyright 1981/THE TIMES MIRROR COMPANY

JIM MURRAY

Risking a Life for an Asterisk

    Indianapolis as an institution really kills me — the 500, I mean. The rules they have for that race are right off the wall. Lewis Carroll would have loved them.
    I mean, the idea is to find the fastest 33 cars in the country, right? Line them up in the order of their speed and drop the green flag?
    They can do that in a weekend. They had to, this year. They can do it in a day if they want. Other races do.
    But they like to spread it over a couple of weekends. You would, too, if you got 200,000 people who pay just to watch.
    So, they put in this rule that the car that went fastest on the first day of qualifying would get the coveted pole. Not the guy who went fastest overall, just the guy who went fastest on the first day. Not the second day, or the third day, or the fourth day. All those guys got was an asterisk, not the pole.
    Guys have died going for the pole. It's worth thousands in prizes, and much more in publicity.
    Well, this year Bobby Unser is sitting on the pole at Indy. He didn't go fastest. Tom Sneva did that. On the same day. Not the second, third, or fourth, but that very day. I told you Lewis Carroll would love these guys. The Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland would understand them perfectly.
    You see, God did make little green apples, and it does rain in Indianapolis in the summertime. Back on the first day of qualifying, it did rain, after A.J. Foyt had the fastest time, 196.078 mph. Now, back in 1970, A.J. Foyt would have sat on the pole— period. But they changed the rules in 1971, and I'll tell you why.
    Back in 1969, a rookie named Leon D. (Jigger) Sirois, in an indifferent car, had gone out to qualify. He turned three laps in a slowish 161 mph. A qualifying run consists of four laps. After the 3-1/2 laps, his pit crew, dissatisfied with the time, waved him in, aborting the run. It started to rain almost as he came in. If he had finished that fourth lap, Jigger would have been on the pole, even though cars behind him would have been 10 mph faster.
    Poor Jigger was never to make the race any place, never mind the pole, but Indy modified the rules to permit cars "on line" the first day of qualifying to be regarded as "first day" cars in the event rain interrupted, and thus able to pursue the pole after the interruption. That's why Bobby Unser was able to wrest the pole from Foyt with 200.546 mph this year — even though Sneva went 200.691 that same day.
    Sneva was not considered a "first day" qualifier. Sneva with the fastest car in the race, starts 21st. Twenty slower cars precede him.
    Nor is Sneva the first fastest-qualifier not to win the pole. Eight other cars in history missed the pole with faster times than the pole-sitter. In 1976 Mario Andretti started 19th with faster a time than the 18 cars in front of him.
    One reason for lining up cars in the order of their velocity is safety. Faster cars with faster drivers tend to get impatient moving through a herd of cows. Most of Indy's trouble historically has come from impatient drivers.
    There are other inequities in this system. In 1974 the ultimate winner, Johnny Rutherford, with the second-fastest time, started, not second, but 25th. He was behind cars which were 11 mph slower. He was back in the caboose of the race with cars which were 17 mph slower. In a race which takes a little over three hours that means, if they both finished, Rutherford would have beaten that car by 51 miles.
    In 1967, the race was postponed by rain after 19 laps. I sat on the pit wall that day with car owner Andy Granatelli. As the driving rain dripped off his hat and down his poncho, he watched it pelt his turbine car. Water was seeping through a tear line in the plastic and down through the car. I asked Andy why they didn't put the cars in the garage and out of the rain during the postponement.
    "We can't, it's against the rules," Andy told me. "You mean, you gotta sit here and let them get rusted?" I asked. He nodded.
    In 1971, driver Mark Donahue's car broke a gear on the 66th lap. They left it where he parked it. Rules, you know. Nearby was a car driven by Steve Krisiloff that had spun out on lap 12. On lap 167, Mike Moseley and Bobby Unser crashed as Moseley lost a wheel. Moseley was severely injured, crashing into Krisiloff and Donohue's parked cars.
    Well, I wish them Godspeed, those brave fellows at Indy Sunday. I also wish all those 186 mph cars in front of him can keep out of the way of Tom Sneva's 200-mph car. He's going to be in a hurry to get up there where he belongs.

Jim Murray Memorial Foundation | P.O. Box 995 | La Quinta | CA | 92247

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Dale McFee, the president of the Prince Albert Raiders, is leaving that city in September and moving to Regina. McFee will retire as P.A.’s chief of police to become Saskatchewan’s deputy minister of corrections and policing. . . . McFee was a forward with the Raiders when they won the Memorial Cup in 1985. . . . McFee told Tyler Clarke of the Prince Albert Daily Herald that he will remain president of the Raiders for at least another year.
Clarke’s complete story is right here.
———
F Zach Hamill, who won the 2006-07 WHL scoring title with 93 points for the Everett Silvertips, was traded by the Boston Bruins to the Washington Capitals for F Chris Bourque on Saturday. . . . Hamill, 23, had 21 points in 41 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins this season. . . . A pro for five seasons, he has four assists in 20 NHL games with Boston. . . . Bourque, the 26-year-old son of Hall of Fame D Ray Bourque, won the AHL scoring title this season, putting up 93 points in 73 games with the Hershey Bears.

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Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun wonders about the tradition of NHL playoff beards: “I always wondered why the NHL would want its finest athletes to look this way at the most watched time in the game. . . . It just looks like a convention of young lumberjacks, fresh from a magazine ad. It doesn’t in any way enhance the league, its image, or anything else for that matter.” . . . I have thought the same thing about major junior hockey for a number of years. Young men trying to grow beards doesn’t do a thing to enhance the product. . . . R.J. Currie, from sportsdeke.com: “Police in Kemah, Texas, arrested a man who was riding a unicycle while naked. Motorists said he was signalling turns inappropriately. Others reported a crack-up.” . . . Currie has a theme song suggestion for the New Jersey Devils’ playoff run: “He ain’t heavy, he’s my Brodeur.” . . .
Jason Strudwick, who was part of the Kamloops Blazers’ Memorial Cup-winning teams in 1994 and 1995, has told his latest team, Södertälje of Sweden’s Allsvenskan, that he is retiring. The Edmonton native, who will be 37 on July 17, had nine points in 29 games this season. Strudwick, a third-round selection by the New York Islanders in the NHL’s 1994 draft, played the previous three seasons with the Edmonton Oilers. His NHL career comprised 674 games, split between the Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and the Oilers. . . . Corey Hirsch, another former Blazers player, and his wife, Sheila, became U.S. citizens on Friday. Corey is the St. Louis Blues’ goaltending coach. They live in the Phoenix area with their three children. . . .
Here’s Ron Judd, in the Seattle Times: “Actual words uttered from the Situation Room by CNN’s Wolf (The Drone) Blitzer: ‘Coming up: The latest thoughts from a terror mastermind who’s been dead for months!’ ” . . . One more from Judd: “Costco says it wants to boost online sales to supplement its already booming warehouse-store business. Great idea. Here’s another: How about requiring invasive Canadians to buy all their stuff that way? Multiple problems solved.” . . . Somehow I really got hooked on The Killing, a cop drama that is set in Seattle and appears Sundays on AMC. But, sheesh, it sure seems to rain a lot in the Emerald City. . . .
After fans at Fenway Park booed Boston Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, Jason Gay of the Wall Street Journal scribbled: “Boston is a volatile place to play, and eventually turns on everybody. Had they been around today, Paul Revere and his horse would have wound up getting traded to the Marlins.” . . . The New York Yankees and the Red Sox have been holding down the last two spots in the AL East of late. The last time they’ve been in that position after May 1? How about Sept. 19, 1992. . . . The best part of the NBA playoffs has to be the analysts. Hubie Brown, Jeff Van Gundy and Steve Kerr are nothing short of excellent. . . .
Scott Ostler, in the San Francisco Chronicle: “If I had an Olympic torch, I’d make it into a hood ornament.” . . . Ostler also has a message for the New Orleans Saints: “Fellas, the football world has been laughing at you over the bounty business. Now you’re going to leave an empty seat on team flights and in meeting rooms to honor suspended coach Sean Payton? Really? If you want to honor Payton on team flights, offer a bounty for tripping the flight attendant when she comes down the aisle with the drinks.” . . . Whenever I watch an NHL playoff game I am left to wonder exactly what is the definition of “cross-checking” these days. . . .
Michael Hurley, of CBS Boston: “There is losing with grace and class, and there is losing in disgrace. Congratulations, Phoenix Coyotes, for choosing door No. 2!” . . . You may have seen or heard Coyotes captain Shane Doan after his side was bounced by the Los Angeles Kings. “How do you miss that?” Doan moaned to reporters after Game 5, referring to a hit by L.A’s Dustin Brown on Phoenix defenceman Michal Rozsival. “I mean Rozy’s knee’s blown out. How do you miss that? How do you miss that when it’s after the whistle and it’s a knee? How can you possibly miss that?” . . . When all was said and done, it turns out Rozy’s knee is only bruised. . . . Just like Doan’s credibility. . . .
Mike Lupica, in the New York Daily News: “It’s amazing that the same (Roger) Clemens bouncers who tried to intimidate me when I was down in Washington for Clemens’ testimony in front of Congress are still yelling at reporters from this newspaper outside the courtroom. But having met the guys, I wouldn’t really expect them to be fast learners.” . . .
You may be aware that there were six NBA/NHL playoff games at Staples Centre in Los Angeles last weekend. What you may not know is that you could have gotten into all six games for US$141. That’s right. Had you bought the cheapest seats from StubHub, $141 would have had you in the house for all six games. . . . Len Berman at ThatSports.com would love to see one sport returned to the Olympic Games. Live pigeon shooting, he notes, “was competed once at the 1900 Paris Olympics. Granted it was quite messy, but I’d advocate just announcing its return . . . just to hear PETA’s reaction.”
(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 on Saturdays, except when it doesn’t.)

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
Starbulls Rosenheim (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) announced that G Norm Maracle (Saskatoon, 1991-94) has retired. He had a 2.56 GAA in 45 games for Starbulls this season. . . .
D Dominik Bittner (Everett, 2011-12) signed a two-year contract with Adler Mannheim (Germany, DEL). He had four goals and 13 assists in 68 games with the Silvertips this season as a freshman. . . . Bittner, who turns 20 on June 10, was selected by Everett with the 51st pick in the 2011 CHL import draft.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
The Chicoutimi Saguenéens announced Friday that assistant coach Mario Durocher won’t return next season. Durocher apparently exercised his option to leave the club. . . . Durocher, a veteran QMJHL coach, worked alongside head coach Marc-Étienne Hubert in Chicoutimi. . . .
The BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks have hired Brandon West as an assistant coach to work alongside GM/head coach Troy Mick. West spent this season as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Westside Warriors. In 2010-11, he was head coach of the major midget Okanagan Rockets. . . . West also is an assistant coach on Team Pacific for the 2013 U-17 World Hockey Challenge.
———
JUST NOTES:
The Chicago Blackhawks have signed G Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks. Carruth, who turned 20 on March 25, was a seventh-round selection in the 2010 NHL draft. . . . Capgeek.com has his contract details right here.
Alan Caldwell, over there at Small Thoughts at Large, has a blog entry on which of the 2010 NHL draft picks has yet to sign. Of course, if a 2010 selection doesn’t sign by June 1, he goes back into the draft.

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Madaisky sets sights on Columbus roster

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Austin Madaisky already is preparing for the 2012-13 hockey season.
With an NHL contract in his hip pocket, the Kamloops Blazers defenceman is doing it with a lot less weight on his shoulders.
“It definitely (was a relief),” Madaisky said Friday after signing a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. “It’s nice to not have to worry about that any more.”
It was only a year ago when Madaisky, who turned 20 on Jan. 30, was trying to rehab a broken neck. He suffered a fractured cervical vertebrae — a C-7 fracture — in a game against the visiting Chilliwack Bruins on Feb. 4, 2011. He was fitted with an Aspen Cervical Collar that he wore for a number of weeks, but was well enough to attend a Columbus development camp in May 2011.
He definitely showed no ill effects during the just-completed WHL season as he was the Blazers’ best defenceman and was named to the Western Conference’s second all-star team.
“It seems so long ago,” Madaisky said of his injury. “So much has happened in that time. . . . so much success personally and with the team that it’s kind of like that almost didn’t even happen.”
The Blazers, of course, won the B.C. Division this season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1999. They were eliminated by the Portland Winterhawks, who used home-ice advantage to their benefit and beat the Blazers 2-0 in Game 7 of a conference semfinal.
“This was the best season of my life. Absolutely,” he said. “You won’t find a dressing room like that one anywhere . . . brotherhood.”
Madaisky set personal highs in goals (13), assists (37), points (50) and plus-minus (20). The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder also continued to develop into a hard-hitting, physical shutdown defender.
He feels that he improved “quite a lot.”
“I set personal bests in offensive numbers,” he added, “but I thought I made the most significant strides in the defensive part of my game. The game really started to slow down and I thought I really matured as a player this season.”
Like so many players on the most-recent edition of the Blazers, Madaisky is quick to thank one individual in particular.
“A lot of that is credited to Dave Hunchak,” Madasiky said of the team’s associate coach. “He came in and taught us a lot this season.”
After the season ended, Madaisky said he took off about two weeks. But now he’s back in the gym and also starting to return to the ice.
“By next week,” he said, “it’s going to be full-blown training . . . all day, every day. You make it this far, this is where the really hard work starts.”
And with having signed an NHL contract, he admitted that his focus has changed.
“I’m preparing this summer like I’m trying to come into camp and make the Blue Jackets,” he said. “That’s the way I’m looking at it. After that, whatever happens, happens.”
If he doesn’t play in the NHL, he most likely would be assigned to the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield, Mass., Falcons. However, he is eligible to return to the Blazers for one more season.
Would he be disappointed to end up back here?
“I wouldn’t call it disappointing,” he said. “I love the city . . . it’s my second home. My team is great, billets are great. It would still be a good situation.
“But I would definitely like to turn pro next season and I think it would be a lot better for my development to start playing against those guys right away.”
Madaisky’s contract, a standard entry-level deal, calls for an NHL salary of US$595,000, $620,000 and $650,000 in each of the next three seasons. His AHL salary would be $60,000 in each season. He also received a $210,000 signing bonus, payable in three installments over three years, although the first cash hasn’t year arrived in his bank account.
“I actually haven’t got it yet,” he said, before laughing and adding: “Which might be better. Maybe it’s better if they hang on to it for a bit.”
When the first installment does arrive, Madaisky said he doesn’t really have any plans for it.
“I’m going to try to save most of it,” he said. “I might buy a couple of gifts for family members, that sort of thing. But I’m def not looking at buying anything like a new car, nothing like that. Maybe next contract . . .”
The Blue Jackets selected Madaisky in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2010 entry draft. They had until June 1 to sign him, or he would have gone back into the next draft, which is scheduled for Pittsburgh, June 22-23.
Left-winger Brendan Ranford of the Blazers was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the seventh round of the 2010 draft. He has yet to sign and, if he doesn’t, will be available in next month’s draft.
JUST NOTES: F Chase Schaber, the Blazers captain for the last two seasons, has decided to attend St. Francis Xavier U in Antigonish, N.S., and play for the X-Men. Schaber, 21, had his WHL career ended by a skate cut to his left leg during Game 3 of a first-round playoff series against the Royals in Victoria. He later underwent surgery at Royal Inland Hospital. “I just started walking on my leg (Thursday),” Schaber said in a news release issued by the Blazers. “I’ve been rehabbing three days a week and have started strength training on it. I am willing to do whatever is needed to get back to what I love doing and making my way to pro hockey through the CIS.” . . . D Bronson Maschmeyer, who completed his eligibility with the Blazers this season, also has committed to the X-Men, as has G Drew Owsley, who finished up his career with the Prince George Cougars.

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What happened in Cranbrook?

Jeff Chynoweth, the president and general manager of the Kootenay Ice, fired head coach Kris Knoblauch on Friday morning.
The news became public when a terse two-sentence press release was posted on the Ice’s website.
Here is that release in its entirety:
“Jeff Chynoweth, General Manager of the Kootenay ICE Hockey Club, today announced the Club has terminated Kris Knoblauch’s contract effective immediately. No other comments will be given at this time.”
Knoblauch, 33, just completed his second season as the Ice’s head coach. In his first season, 2010-11, the Ice won the WHL championship.
When this season ended, Knoblauch had one year left on his contract. Earlier this month, Chynoweth, convinced that his head coach was staying put, gave him a one-year extension through 2013-14.
The U of Alberta Golden Bears, Knoblauch’s alma mater, has been looking for a head coach. They posted the position with an application deadline of May 15.
At that time, Chynoweth said he knew Knoblauch was interested in returning to the U of A. At the same time, Chynoweth said he didn’t know if he could wait until after May 15 to find out whether his coach was leaving.
When the job was posted, Stan Marple, the U of A’s general manager and assistant coach, called Knoblauch, who brought it to Chynoweth.
Chynoweth, who never did hear from the U of Alberta during this process, told Knoblauch that he would give him a one-week window to decide what he wanted to do.
Knoblauch went back to Marple but the U of A had already posted the job with the May 15 deadline so wasn’t able to make a move at that time.
When the Golden Bears’ selection committee revealed earlier this week that it had short-listed to four, there was speculation that Knoblauch was on that list.
When I asked Chynoweth early in the week if Knoblauch was “in the running,” the response I got was: “Nope, never really has been.”
On Thursday night, a source told me that Chynoweth had given Knoblauch a one-year extension. Chynoweth confirmed that this morning.
When I contacted Chynoweth late Thursday night to see if Knoblauch definitely was out of the U of A picture, I was told that “Kris is in Saskatchewan visiting his family and his wife’s family. He is driving back to Cranbrook next week.”
While Chynoweth isn’t commenting on Knoblauch’s dismissal, it would seem that sometime after that he became aware that Knoblauch indeed is a candidate for the Golden Bears’ head-coaching position and that, yes, he is on the short list.
Chynoweth, who did tell me that he is “bitterly disappointed” in what has transpired, had held talks with Knoblauch earlier this week involving the hiring of an assistant coach. Todd Johnson, the Ice’s former assistant, left after the season to sign on as head coach of the U of Regina Cougars.
When Chynoweth confirmed Friday morning that Knoblauch was pursuing the Golden Bears job, Chynoweth felt he had no choice but to relieve Knoblauch of his duties.
It was the first time in his career that Chynoweth has fired a coach or anyone in hockey management.
That leaves the Ice and Brandon Wheat Kings as WHL teams without head coaches at this time.
The Wheat Kings fired Cory Clouston last week with a year left on his contract. Clouston spent five seasons (2002-06) as the Ice’s head coach.
Yes, you will hear Clouston’s name as a possible replacement in Cranbrook. You almost certainly also will hear Dean Chynoweth’s name. Chynoweth, Jeff’s brother, lost his job as an assistant coach with the NHL’s New York Islanders after their season ended. Dean, a former captain of the Medicine Hat Tigers, has WHL coaching experience with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Swift Current Broncos.
Ryan McGill, who was the Ice’s head coach when it won the 2002 Memorial Cup, was dropped as an assistant coach by the Calgary Flames after the 2010-11 season. He now is in the oil and gas business in Calgary.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
Södertälje (Sweden, Allsvenskan) announced that D Jason Strudwick (Kamloops, 1993-1995) has informed the team he has retired from hockey. Strudwick had three goals and six assists in 29 games this season for Södertälje. . . .
F Todd Dutiaume (Brandon, 1991-94) signed a one-year contract extension as player/head coach of Fife Flyers (England, UK Elite). He had four goals and nine assists in 44 games for the Flyers this
season, their first in the UK Elite league. . . . Dutiaume just completed an especially horrible season — his wife, Kelly, 38, who was eight months pregnant with twins, died in late February after suffering a heart attack.
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After the piece that appeared here this week on the retirement of Kelowna Rockets F Max Adolph due to post-concussion syndrome, a former WHL coach sent along an interesting email.
“Sad story but one that is being repeated far too often and don't get reported — unless YOU hear about them!
“Coincidentally, I was in a car accident in mid-April and suffered whiplash/concussion. I was stopped behind a van and and was rear-ended . . . driving me into the van ahead. . . .
“I am feeling lots better, but still going to physio and massage 3-4 times/week for 1.5-2 hours per time to improve my neck mobility. . . .
“I haven't been concussed since I finished playing in the mid-1980s. I had a few doozies and lots more minor bell ringers. Time tends to make one forget how you feel at the time — maybe it is a side effect of the concussions?
“All I know is it sure sucks sitting in a dark room . . . music, voices, loud sounds, certain lights, etc., set me off into brutal headaches (and I never get headaches!), dizziness, nausea! I couldn't even count to 10.
“Pretty sure the WHL would have considered me as having 'an upper body injury!'
“So as passionate as I was prior about fighting, stupid penalties (checking to the head) and the overall declining/complete absence of respect (behaviour reinforced by no penalties or mere slaps on the wrist and hidden as 'upper body injuries' by the WHL) . . . now I am really pissed! Nothing like experiencing a concussion (in an environment where I won't feel pressured to get back; like a young, impressionable kid trying to climb the ladder) to add further passion to my mandate.”
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Drew Wilson, the veteran radio voice of the Prince Albert Raiders, filed an interesting piece to paNOW.ca earlier this week.
“The Prince Albert Raiders,” he writes, “could soon have substantial financial backing from a $1.5 million line of credit. The money is being offered by successful businessman and team Vice President Gord Broda.”
Wilson’s complete story is right here.
Broda is the president of Broda Construction. He also is the father of Joel Broda, who scored more than a few WHL goals with the Tri-City Americans, Moose Jaw Warriors and Calgary Hitmen (2004-10). Joel played this season with the AHL’s Houston Aeros.Anyway . . . Raiders president Dale McFee has told Wilson that the franchise will remain under its community ownership structure. McFee also said that the Raiders, who missed the playoffs this season, may break even on the season.
But when a community-owned and -operated team needs a $1.5-million line of credit as an insurance policy, alarm bells have to go off. After all, there isn’t any kind of expense cap in the WHL and, at least in some organizations, there doesn’t seem to be any desire to spend less money.
As time goes on, then, it is going to be really interesting to see how the small-market teams like the Raiders and Swift Current Broncos are able to survive.
Revenue-sharing anyone?
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JUST NOTES:
A shoutout to Jason Berger, a former equipment manager with the Seattle Thunderbirds who now fills that role with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. They won the Kelly Cup on Wednesday night. . . .
The OHL’s Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors are no more. The franchise, which changed hands earlier this month, now is known as the Mississauga Steelheads. Landmark Sport Group, under Elliott Kerr, held a name-the-team contest and Steelheads came up a winner. According to a news release, the new nickname is “in reference to the steelhead trout that inhabit the Credit River,” . . . There were more than 1,400 entries, with Hurricanes the runner-up. . . . Logo and colours are to be released later this summer. . . .
The Winnipeg Jets have decided not to sign D Kendall McFaull, the captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors. McFaull, who is heading into his 20-year-old season, was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the sixth round of the 2010 draft. The Thrashers, of course, moved to Winnipeg prior to this season. The Jets had until June 1 to sign McFaull. He now will go back into the NHL draft. . . .
The Prince George Cougars have signed F Zach Pochiro, 18, a Las Vegas native who played this season with the NAHL’s Wichita Falls Wildcats. The 6-foot-2, 165-pound Pochiro had 34 points, including 18 goals, and 154 penalty minutes in 52 games with the Wildcats. Interestingly, Cougars owner Rick Brodsky is the majority owner of the Wildcats. Pochiro is the first player to have played for the Wildcats to sign with the Cougars. . . . In 2010-11, Pochiro had 34 points in 31 games with the midget Los Angeles Jr. Kings. . . .
F Chris Wilkie, the son of former WHL D David Wilkie (Seattle, Kamloops, Regina, 1990-94), has committed to the U of North Dakota. Chris was a fourth-round selection by the Victoria Royals in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints are in the market for an assistant coach after Bobby Kinsella, who also worked as director of scouting, signed on with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens as an amateur scout working out of Chicago. . . .
The University of Alberta Golden Bears are getting closer to hiring a head coach to replace interim coach Gord Marple, who now is the program’s general manager and assistant coach. . . . On Thursday, the selection committee interviewed Gord Thibodeau, the veteran GM and head coach of the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. . . . There has been speculation that Kris Knoblauch, like Thibodeau a former Golden Bears player, is in the mix but I have been told that is not the case. In fact, with interviews being conducted this week, Knoblauch apparently is visiting family in Saskatchewan. . . . Knoblauch, who just completed his second season as the Ice’s head coach, has a year left on his contract and I was told last night that president/GM Jeff Chynoweth has given him a one-year extension.

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Former WHLer David Rutherford with the Kelly Cup that he
and his Florida Everblades teammates won on Wednesday night.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Filip Novak (Regina, 1999-2002) signed a one-year contract extension with Dynamo Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had two goals and nine assists in 39 games for the KHL champions this season. . . .
D Tomas Slovak (Kelowna, 2001-03) signed a one-year contract with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had one goal and one assist in 31 games for Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL) and was pointless in one game on assignment to Gomel (Belarus, Open League) this season. . . .
F Milan Kytnar (Kelowna, Saskatoon, Vancouver, 2007-10) signed a three-year contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). He had one goal and two assists in 13 games with the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL), seven goals and five assists in 17 games with the Stockton Thunder (ECHL), was pointless in one game with the Edmonton Oilers (NHL), and had no goals and three assists in 16 games with HPK Hämeenlinna (Finland, SM-Liiga). . . .
F Robin Soudek (Edmonton, Chilliwack/Victoria, 2009-12) signed a one-year plus option contract with Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had 27 goals and 30 assists in 65 games with Victoria this season.
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ROB TRZONKOWSKI

On a day when the NFL’s Denver Broncos acquired FB Chris Gronkowski from the Indianapolis Colts, it was only fitting that the Calgary Hitmen should trade away F Rob Trzonkowski.
Trzonkowski, an 18-year-old from Calgary, was sent to the Kamloops Blazers for a fourth-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Trzonkowski has 16 points and 200 penalty minutes in 111 regular-season games. He was an eighth-round selection in the 2009 bantam draft.
As for Gronkowski, he was acquired for CB Cassius Vaughn. Gronkowski is one of three brothers in the NFL at the moment. Trzonkowski is the only member of his family in the WHL.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Bliss Littler is the new director of hockey operations and head coach of the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild. Littler is a veteran coach who has 577 career victories at the junior A Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels in the U.S. He has been coaching for more than 19 years. Most recently, he has been the GM and head coach of the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. In Wenatchee, Littler replaces John Becanic, who resigned last month. . . .
The owners of the NAHL’s Johnstown Tomahawks have signed Jason Spence as the team’s head coach. He is an assistant coach with the ECHL’s Greenville Road Warriors. . . . Spence

played and worked for the ECHL’s Johnstown Chiefs from 2005-10. . . . The owners, according to a news release, named the “new team the Johnstown Tomahawks and unveiled a new team logo and name design that honors the storied history of the Johnstown Chiefs and its home arena made famous in the classic hockey film Slapshot.” . . . The Tomahawks will play out of the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown. . . . From the news release: “The team logo and name's color scheme of red, white and blue was created as a tribute to the American war veterans honored and commemorated throughout the War Memorial Arena for their sacrifices and service to our country. The "Tomahawks" nickname was chosen to symbolize the new team's fighting spirit, exciting style of play and good sportsmanship the team and its fans expect from their young players.” . . . Sportsmanship? That means this team won’t include a  future Denis Lemieux. . . . “You do that, you go to the box, you know. Two minutes, by yourself, you know and you feel shame, you know. And then you get free.” . . . Presumably there will be any bounties placed on the opposing Tim McCrackens of the world, either. . . . Hmmm! Wonder how many games the Hanson brothers will attend. . . .
Luke Richardson has been named head coach of the Binghamton Senators, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Richardson, a former NHL defenceman, has been an assistant coach with Ottawa for the last three seasons. With Binghamton, he replaces Kurt Kleinendorst, who announced May 8 that he was leaving the organization with expiration of his two-year contract next month. Under Kleinendorst, the B-Sens won the AHL’s 2011 championship. . . .
The BCHL’s Vernon Vipers have signed Jason Read and David Robinson as assistant coaches to work alongside GM/head coach Jason Williamson. . . . Read worked this season with the midget AAA Calgary Royals. . . . Robinson is a former WHL player (Chilliwack, 2007-10) who returned to Vernon to play for the Vipers in 2010-11. He was the team captain as it reached the RBC Cup final. Robinson played this season at the U of Calgary with the Dinos. . . .
The AHL’s Hershey Bears announced Wednesday that head coach Mark French and assistant coach Troy Mann will return for another season. The Bears are affiliated with the NHL’s Washington Capitals. . . .
The ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays have signed head coach Spencer Carberry, 30, to a two-year extension. . . . Carberry is from Victoria and just completed his first season as head coach, after spending a season as assistant coach. He took over from Cail MacLean, who moved to the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat as an assistant coach.
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The price of rent goes up . . . the price of tickets go up. Such is life in Brandon.
The Wheat Kings and the Keystone Centre announced the signing of a five-year lease agreement that will have the team continue to play in Westman Communications Group Place. The parties had been working on the five-year extension to a 10-year lease, with the extension due to expire on May 31.
"We are pleased to come to this agreement with the Wheat Kings," Neil Thomson, the Keystone Centre’s general manager, said in a news release. "It does mean a significant increase in the revenue for the facility since the last agreement in 1997."
Kelly McCrimmon, the Wheat Kings’ owner and GM, added: "It is true that we are paying much higher rent in our new agreement. However, in our minds we traded that with various factors. One of our goals in these negotiations was to protect our customers from additional fees. The Keystone Centre was looking for more revenue in the deal and spoke at length about increasing agency fees, implementing a new facility fee and even paid parking.
"In our minds, we felt that this would not work out for our fan base. So as a result, those costs were absorbed by us in the framework of this new agreement."
It is expected that the increased rent will help pay for improvements in lighting, seating and sound in the arena.
The Wheat Kings also announced their season-ticket prices, with adult tickets having risen $75 to $425. (Purchase by June 15 and save $25.)
That “equates to a single-game ticket price of just over $12 . . . which represents a saving of close to $8 (based on box office regular admission prices),” reads a news release. “To help illustrate the savings, if one was to purchase tickets for 36 individual games, the price (including agency fees) would be $720. That means, fans will have paid for their season tickets by the 22nd game of the year.”
The Wheat Kings also have gone back to offering Senior season tickets, at $375. Youth tickets (18-and-under) are going for $200.
"Our season ticket base is very important to us," McCrimmon said. "Under terms of our new lease, we will be paying in excess of four times the cost of the previous one and, while this is a positive development for the Keystone, it does significantly increase our cost of doing business."
This season, the Wheat Kings averaged about 4,100 fans per game, with about 3,000 of those being season-ticket holders.
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F Brandon MacLean scored at 4:54 of OT to give the host Florida Everblades a 3-2 victory over the Las Vegas Wranglers and the ECHL’s Kelly Cup title. . . . Florida won the series, 4-1, to earn its first championship in its 14-season history. . . . The Everblades’ roster included former WHLer David Rutherford, who lost five teeth to a high-stick in Game 1,
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The Red Deer Rebels and Westerner Park are adding 100 feet of digital LED ribbon signage to the fascia of the newly created lower suite level. According to a news release, “This signage is identical to that found ringing the lower bowl of both the Scotiabank Saddledome and Rexall Place.” . . . Gotta wonder if Cam Moon, the longtime radio voice of the Rebels, will have Major League Baseball scores on the ribbon in season?
———
G Mark Segal, who played in 36 games with the Vancouver Giants in 2009-10 and 55 the next season, has decided to end his competitive hockey career. Segal spent this season with the McGill Redmen, who won the school’s first CIS championship since its hockey program began in 1877. . . . Segal got into 11 games with McGill, going 9-2, .924, 2.27. . . . Segal, who is from Vancouver, has chosen to move to the U of Victoria but doesn’t plan on playing hockey, unless it’s of the intramural variety.
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The Prince George Cougars have signed F Brett Roulston, a native of Whitehorse, Yukon, who turns 18 on Oct. 15. . . . Roulston played this season with the major midget Cariboo Cougars, who play out of Prince George. He had 36 points, including 16 goals, in 35 games. . . . He has been on the Cougars’ list since March. At one time he was on the Kamloops Blazers’ list, but a recurring back problem caused him to miss the 2010-11 season.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jamie Lundmark (Moose Jaw, Seattle, 1998-2001) signed a one-year contract with Klagenfurt (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had eight goals and eight assists in 47 games with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL) this season.
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MAX ADOLPH

In a column that appeared in The Daily News today and also is on this blog, I write about the retirement of Kelowna Rockets F Max Adolph.
Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon Star Phoenix spoke with Adolph on Tuesday and his story is right here.
“Although the Saskatoon native hasn't taken to the ice since suffering his latest concussion in a pre-season contest last September,” Nugent-Bowman writes, “he still can't jump around or move his head suddenly without suffering a headache.
“He won't be permitted to wakeboard at the lake this summer either.”
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Former NFL star running back Eric Dickerson, who is a Hall of Famer, has joined in a lawsuit against the NFL.
Dickerson, according to The Associated Press, is “the lead plaintiff among 15 men named in the suit filed Monday in federal court in Houston. Other plaintiffs include former Minnesota Vikings player John Randle and the estate of Ernie Stautner, a long-time Dallas assistant coach and former player in Pittsburgh.”
This is another lawsuit in a number that have been filed against the NFL over head injuries. Those lawsuits involved more than 1,000 former players.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Philadelphia Flyers fired Joe Paterson, the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms, on Tuesday. The Phantoms were 37-35-4 this season and didn’t make the playoffs. . . . Patterson took over from interim head coach John Paddock in the middle of last season and was 62-55-8 overall. Paddock had replaced the fired Greg Gilbert early in 2010-11. . . .
Todd Gill, the head coach of the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs, has been named head coach of Canada's under-18 team that will play in the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament that is , scheduled from Aug. 13-18, 2012 in Piestany, Slovakia, and Breclav, Czech Republic. The assistant coaches will be Yanick Jean of the QMJHL's Victoriaville Tigres and Scott Walker of the OHL's Guelph Storm. Canada has won the Hlinka event each of the last four seasons.
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JUST NOTES:
D Benjamin Gallacher was the fifth overall selection, going to the Green Bay Gamblers, in the USHL‘s entry draft on Tuesday. Gallacher, who turns 20 on Sept. 11, is the son of Portland Winterhawks owner Bill Gallacher. The younger Gallacher has committed to attend Ohio State and play for the Buckeyes. . . .
F Peter Quenneville, a fourth-round selection by the Prince George Cougars in the WHL’s 2009 bantam draft, was taken 13th overall by the Dubuque Fighting Saints. . . .Quenneville, 18, played this season with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders and was the league’s MVP. He has committed to Quinnipiac. . . .
In the sixth round, the Fighting Saints took D Matt Benning, who played for the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. You may recall that Bob Tory, the GM of the Tri-City Americans, acquired Benning’s WHL rights from the Kootenay Ice for a couple of conditional bantam draft picks. That deal was made on Aug. 10. Benning, the son of former NHL/WHL D Brian Benning, never agreed to join the Americans. . . .
D Griffin Foulk, who finished this season with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm, has signed with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. Foulk, 17, was an eighth-round selection by the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2010 bantam draft. The Oil Kings dealt Foulk and a 2012 third-round bantam pick to Everett for F Tyler Maxwell, 20, on Nov. 24. . . . Foulk, who is from Broomfield, Colo., began the season with the major midget Colorado Thunderbirds (23-1-2—3) before joining the Storm in January. He had three assists and 26 penalty minutes in 29 games with the Storm. . . . He is represented by Turning Point Sports Management. . . .
The U of Alberta is down to a shortlist of four candidates in its search for a hockey coach. The new head coach of the Golden Bears is likely to be announced early next week. . . . A source told me Tuesday that Kootenay Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch, who attended the U of A and played there, isn't on that short list. . . .
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The Ottawa Senators have signed F Darren Kramer, who played the last two seasons with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. Kramer was the Chiefs’ captain last season as he played out his eligibility. Ottawa selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 NHL draft. In 139 regular-season games, he had 54 points and 506 penalty minutes. . . . He led the WHL in fighting majors in each of the last two seasons. Kramer was involved in 26 fights this season, which was 20 fewer than the previous season. . . . He also went from eight to 22 goals, and from 14 to 40 points. . . .
Two former Chiefs stars helped the Norfolk Admirals reach the AHL final on Tuesday night. G Dustin Tokarski stopped 29 shots and F Tyler Johnson scored the game’s second goal as the Admirals blanked the host St. John’s, Nfld., IceCaps, 4-0. The Admirals swept the best-of-seven series and now will play the winner of a series between the Toronto Marlies and Oklahoma City Barons. The Marlies lead that series, 2-1. . . . The Admirals are affiliated with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Marlies are with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Barons with the Edmonton Oilers. . . .
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Mendel Dubuisson “represents the first American of Haitian heritage to be drafted by the WHL and could be the first Haitian-American to reach the NHL,” writes Rich Bolas of the West Valley News in Sun City, Ariz. . . . Dubuisson was selected by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the sixth round of the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft.
Bolas’s complete story is right here.
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Chad Jassman used to be Rroary, the Medicine Hat Tigers’ child-loving mascot. That was before he was left a paraplegic after a 2004 car accident. Now he’s an international-calibre wheelchair basketball player. Vicki Hall of the Calgary Herald has his story right here.

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