Taking Note

The WHL bantam draft is being held today in Calgary. You won’t find anything on that draft here, simply because no one covers it better than Alan Caldwell at Small Thoughts At Large.
So please visit his link over there on the right for the best draft coverage available.
If you haven’t been there before on draft day, he always has the numbers on as many drafted players as possible.
Earlier this week, he posted the round-by-round order of selection, including all trades.
Yes, he already is the draft-day MVP. Again!
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
The KHL announced the addition of two new teams for next season — Medvescak Zagreb and Vladivostok. Croatian media reports that Zagreb will operate with a budget of 10 million Euros, the smallest in the KHL. (Dynamo Moscow and SKA St. Petersburg have the highest budget at 52 million Euros.) The report by www.24sata.hr goes on to say that the club has added 15 players from North America of Croatian descent to
their protected list, among them Cory Sarich and Mark Fistric. . . .

D Gennadi Razin (Kamloops, 1996-98) signed a one-year contract and F Sergei Varlamov (Swift Current, 1995-98) signed a one-year contract extension with Donbass Donetsk (Ukraine, KHL). Razin had five assists in 47 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL) and Varlamov had eight goals and 10 assists in 48 games with Donbass this season. . . .


F Nigel Dawes (Kootenay, 2001-05) and F Dustin Boyd (Moose Jaw, 2002-06) signed two-year contract extensions with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). Boyd had 15 goals and 16 assists in 51 games and
Dawes had 20 goals and 14 assists in 51 games with Barys this season. . . .

 


F Filip Novak (Regina, 1999-2002) signed a two-year contract extension with Dynamo Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had four goals and 15 assists in 42 games this season. . . .


F Denis Tolpeko (Seattle, Regina, 2003-06) was traded by Dynamo Moscow (Russia, KHL) to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) for F Maksim Pestushko, who was captain of Neftekhimik this season. He had
five goals and five assists in 27 games with Dynamo Moscow and three goals in three games with Dynamo Balashikha (Russia, Vysshaya Liga) this season. . . .


D Marek Hrbas (Edmonton, Kamloops, 2010-13) signed a one-year plus option contract with Sparta Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had eight goals and 16 assists in 65 games with the Blazers this season. . . .




F Jozef Balej (Portland, 1999-2002) signed a one-year plus option contract with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had 15 goals and eight assists in 41 games with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga)
this season. . . .


 F Igor Bacek (Tri-City, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with Lippe-Hockey Hamm (Germany, Oberliga). He had 19 goals and 48 assists in 35 games with Dortmund (Germany, Oberliga) this season. . . .


Vitkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga) announced that it won’t offer a contract for next season to D Denis Rehak (Prince George, 2003-04). He had one goal and four assists in 42 games this season. . . .




D Petr Kubos (Prince George, 1997-99) was informed by Slavia Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga) that he won’t be offered a contract for next season. Kubos had eight goals and 12 assists in 51 games for Slavia this season. . . .



D Deron Quint (Seattle, 1993-96) signed a two-year contract with Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had five goals and 12 assists in 52 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL) this season.



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On the eve of the 2013 bantam draft, the Seattle Thunderbirds announced that they have signed F Mathew Barzal, who was the first overall selection in the 2012 draft.
This season, Barzal had 103 points, including a league-record 74 assists, in 34 games with the Vancouver-North East Chiefs of the B.C. Major Midget League.

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The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
(Edmonton wins series, 4-3)
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Portland wins series, 4-1)
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CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
Game 2: Saturday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
Game 3: Tuesday, May 7, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Wednesday, May 8, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Game 5: Friday, May 10, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Game 6: Sunday, May 12, at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Game 7: Monday, May 13, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x – if necessary.


All games will televised by Shaw in Canada. All games also will be available in Portland, with Games 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Games 2 and 7 on Root Sports.
Comcast and Roots will pick up the Shaw telecast that will feature play-by-play man Dan Russell, along with Bill Wilms, Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
No Game Scheduled.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (7):
None
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From Seattle Thunderbirds D Shea Theodore (@stheodore17): “Would like to welcome @Barzal_97 to the organization, and more importantly our powerplay #Tbirds”


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