Taking Note

The American Academy of Neurology has changed the way its members will look at concussions. Rather than attempting to group concussions or grade them, the AAN has said that every concussion should be treated on an individual basis.
The New York Times has more right here.
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Paul Buker of The Oregonian has spoken with Mike Johnston, the suspended general manager and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks.
Early on in the piece, Buker writes:
“Johnston was certainly devastated and shocked by what happened, but he dealt with it, showing the same class and character that has made him so highly respected in the hockey world.
“Johnston remains hopeful he will be able to fully plead his case, and the franchise remains hopeful the penalties will be reduced.
“There has been no comment from the WHL office, which wants to keep the process private.”
Every single person in the WHL, including, I am told, the commissioner, is under a gag order when it comes to Winterhawkgate.
But despite the WHL’s obvious hopes that this whole thing will go away, it isn’t going anywhere. And when hockey people who aren’t involved with the WHL talk about this situation, one thing amazes them more than anything else: There are no grounds for appeal.
And, as Buker points out, Johnston was suspended for the remainder of this season and has yet to be able to “fully plead his case.”
Buker’s piece is right here.
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The Kelowna Rockets revealed yesterday that F Colton Sissons, the team captain, will be out for up to 12 weeks with an “upper body injury” that is believed to be a shoulder problem.
Sissons left a 6-2 victory over the Giants in Vancouver on Friday night. He had one arm in a sling at the Rockets’ awards bash on Sunday evening.
Sissons missed 10 games with a concussion earlier in the season, an injury that caused him to miss the Canadian national junior team’s December selection camp in Calgary. The Rockets went 8-2-0 while Sissons was injured.
On Sunday, Sissons was named the team’s MVP and top defensive forward.
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F Michael Ferland, who missed the last five games of the regular season with an undisclosed injury, was back on the ice with the Saskatoon Blades on Monday. He is expected to play in Thursday’s opener against the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers.

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The Prince Albert Raiders have brought in G Nick McBride, 15, for the remainder of their season. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound McBride, a second-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft, played for the major midget Vancouver-North East Chiefs, going 12-7-0, 3.74.
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Phil Andrews, the radio voice of the Regina Pats, tweeted Monday evening that F Lane Scheidl of the Regina Pats has signed with the Worcester Sharks, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. . . . Scheidl, 20, is a native of Saskatoon. Despite the fact the Pats didn't qualify for the playoffs, Scheidl had a terrific season, earning 80 points, including 41 goals, in 72 games.

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The Saskatoon Blades have signed three players — F Austin Adamson, F Cameron Hebig and Clayton Kirichenko. . . . Adamson, a list player, spent this season with the major midget Vancouver Canadians. . . . Hebig was the Blades’ first pick in the 2012 bantam draft, taken in the third round, 56th overall. He played with the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. . . . Kirichenko, a seventh-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, played the last two seasons with t the midget AAA Sherwood Park, Alta., Kings. He also got into 10 games with the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints.
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The WHL’s first-round playoff matchups:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
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 Shaw TV will show the first-round Eastern Conference series between the No. 2-seed Saskatoon Blades and No. 7 Medicine Hat Tigers.
You are going to get play-by-play from Dan Russell, with analysis from Bill Wilms. Peter Loubardias will be the rink-side host. Andy Neal will be the host of WHL Central.
Here’s the schedule (all times local):
Game 1, Thursday, at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Game 2, Friday, at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Game 3, Tuesday, March 26, at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Game 4, Wednesday, March 27, at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
x-Game 5, Friday, March 29, at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
x-Game 6, Sunday, March 31, at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
x-Game 7, Tuesday, April 2, at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
x — if necessary.


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