F Stanislav Gron (Seattle, Kootenay, 1997-99) signed a one-year contract extension with Cortina (Italy, Serie A). He had 34 goals and 30 assists in 39 games with Cortina this season, good enough to finish first in goals and second in scoring in Serie A. . . .
F Jeremy Yablonski (Edmonton/Kootenay, 1997-2000) was released by mutual agreement from his contract with Vityaz Chekhov (Russia, KHL). He had no points in eight games with Vityaz this season. . . .
D Shaone Morrisonn (Kamloops, 1999-2002) signed a one-year contract with TPS Turku (Finland, SM-Liiga). He had one goal and three assists in 46 games with Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL) before being traded to CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL) at the KHL trading deadline of Jan. 31, two games before the end of the regular season. With CSKA, he had one goal and one assist in those two games. . . .
F Oleg Saprykin (Seattle, 1998-2000) signed a one-year contract with CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had five goals and eight assists in 32 games with Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL) this season.
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1. We’ve all seen Gregg Popovich, the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, use his eyes and tone of voice to barbecue an interviewer during one of those NBA in-game pieces. Marc Stein of ESPN.com writes right here about Popovich and his relationship with the people doing the interviewing. This, folks, is an entertaining read.
2. F Brenden Walker, who captained the Saskatoon Blades this season, has been invited to the Phoenix Coyotes’ development camp, July 8-12. Walker, an undrafted free agent, played out his eligibility with the Blades this season. He had 76 points, including 33 goals, with the Blades. . . . Darren Zary of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here.
3. According to the Moncton Times & Transcript, the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats have signed Danny Flynn, the director, hockey operations, to a three-year contract extension. Before the end of this season, Flynn also was the club’s head coach. However, ownership chose to split the jobs, with Flynn not to focus on hockey operations.
4. The Swift Current Broncos have signed F Tyler Steenbergen, who is from Sylvan Lake,
Alta., to a contract. He was the 12th overall selection in the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft after putting up 67 points with the Red Deer Rebels White last season.
5. When Jerome Bechard played with the Moose Jaw Warriors (1986-90), he always displayed a lot of heart. That heart got tuned up this week when Bechard, now the general manager and head coach of the SPHL’s Columbus, Ga., Cottonmouths, underwent open heart surgery. Kathy Gierer has more on Bechard’s story right here.
6. The Coaches Site is getting geared up for its 2013 Hockey Coaches Conference. The third annual conference, which runs Aug. 9-11, will feature at least three WHL head coaches in key roles. . . . Don Hay of the Vancouver Giants, Mike Johnston of the Portland Winterhawks, Mike Williamson of the Calgary Hitmen and Ben Cooper of the Victoria Royals. . . . The news release is right here. There also is a link to the website over there on the right and, if you're a coach, there are a lot of resources on it.
7. If you’re looking for more hockey, the AHL final opens Saturday with the Grand Rapids Griffins in Syracuse to play the Crunch. . . . The AHL announced Thursday that it and NeuLion, Inc., will stream the final at no charge. From the news release: “Using promo code CALDER2013, fans can register and log in at www.ahllive.com and watch all of the action.” . . . Game time Saturday is 7 p.m. ET.
8. If you watched the NHL game last night between the visiting Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings, and if you watched the game the night before when a non-call on Boston F Jaromir Jagr led to the host Bruins’ winning goal in double OT against the Pittsburgh Penguins, you may be asking yourself this: Just what is a penalty in the NHL? . . . Sorry, can’t help you because I don’t know either.
9. So what’s going on in the NBA, where the Denver Nuggets dumped head coach George Karl yesterday? Sean Deveney of sportingnews.com writes right here that it’s all about younger and cheaper.
10. F Andy McDonald of the St. Louis Blues announced his retirement yesterday. McDonald, 35, says he feels that he could play another two or three seasons, but post-concussion syndrome has taken its toll. Five brain injures, two of them in a 10-month span, proved too much to allow him to continue.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads extended the contract of general manager/head coach James Boyd through 2015-16 on Thursday. Boyd is preparing for his third season as the club’s GM/head coach, after spending four seasons as assistant GM/assistant coach under Dave Cameron.
The ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears announced Thursday that head coach Drake Berehowsky won’t be returning for a second season. The Solar Bears were 28-37-7 under Berehowsky this season. . . . Darrell Romuld of CTV Lethbridge reported earlier this week that sources told him that Berehowsky will be named head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Thursday. . . . “I do not have a contract with anybody right now,” Berehowsky told Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel. “That’s about all I can say.”
Former NHLer Todd Krygier is the new head coach of the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks. Krygier, 47, who retired as a player in 2000, has been coaching at various levels in Michigan. He played 543 NHL games (1989-98_ with the Hartford Whalers, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, and Washington Capitals. . . . Krygier replaces Jim McKenzie, who was dismissed on May 24.———
From former Portland Winterhawks F Brad Ross (@bross1818), who was watching Game 1 in the NBA final: “What a joke, brutal ref job in the heat game reminds me of the whl refs” #takeyourblindersoff”
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