D David Hajek (Spokane, 1998-99) has signed an extension through the end of this season with Dresden (Germany, DEL2). His initial contract expired on Dec. 1. Both contracts were "financed through a unique fan campaign." This season, Hajek has 10 points, including two goals, in 13 games.
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F Liam Stewart of the Spokane Chiefs is to leave on the weekend for Dumfries, Scotland, where he will play for Great Britain at the IIHF U20 world championship (Division I Group B). . . . The tournament runs Dec. 9-15. . . . Stewart, the son of actress/model Rachel Hunter and music legend Rod Stewart, is in his third season with the Chiefs. He has 13 points, including five goals, in 24 games. . . . Liam was born in London and has a British passport, although he was raised in the U.S., and now calls Hermosa Beach, Calif., home. . . . Stewart is expected to rejoin the Chiefs after the Christmas break, in time to face the host Kootenay Ice on Dec. 27.A Tuesay afternoon tweet from Rachel Hunter (@rachelhunterx): “Sunday I will be in Dumfries Scotland ... Watchin Great Britain.... @liamstewart11 @ New Zealand.”
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Tim Tookey, an Edmonton native who played three seasons (1977-80) with the Portland Winterhawks, was inducted into the Hershey Bears’ Hall of Fame on Sunday. . . . Chris Fidler of the Lebanon Daily News has more right here.
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So . . . there was a trade in the OHL on Tuesday that had two players moving from the Windsor Spitfires to the Guelph Storm in exchange for one player and eight draft picks. Yes, eight draft picks! . . . The Storm, which obviously is all-in on this season, acquired F Kerby Rychel, the son of Windsor GM Warren Rychel and the Spitfires’ captain, and D Nick Ebert, in the process giving up F Brody Milne, Guelph’s second-round draft picks in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, Guelph’s fourth-round pick in 2015 and a 15th-round pick in 2017, as well as Kitchener’s third-round pick in 2016 and Windsor’s fourth-round pick in 2014. . . . (Why all the second-rounders? in the OHL, teams aren’t allowed to trade first-round picks). . . . Wouldn’t you have loved to have been the fly on the wall when this monstrosity was being put together? . . . Rychel, a first-round selection by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL’s 2013 draft, has 39 points, including 16 goals, in 27 games this season. . . . Ebert was a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012 NHL draft. ———
Former NHL enforcer Gino Odjick is in the psychiatric unit of a hospital in Gatineau, Que., as he tries to get a handle on his life. Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun writes: “Odjick and close friends blame his health problems on concussions suffered while playing hockey and serving as an enforcer who frequently got involved in on-ice fights.” . . . That story is right here but be forewarned that it’s a tough read.
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The NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs have been hit by a lawsuit filed by five former players “who are hoping to learn what the team knew about concussions, and when it was known. They are seeking undisclosed financial damages,” writes Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star. . . . That story is right here.
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TUESDAY:
In Calgary, the Red Deer Rebels scored the game’s first two goals but gave up the last five and dropped a 5-2 decision to the Hitmen. . . . F Rhyse Dieno, with his 11th, and F Dominik Volek, with his 13th, both via the PP, gave the Rebels a 2-0 lead by the time the game was 1:07 old. . . . The Hitmen tied it before the end of the period and F Chase Lang’s first goal, at 5:54 of the second, stood up as the winner. . . . Lang also drew an assist, on F Linden Penner’s first WHL goal in his 19th game, 18 of them this season. . . . Calgary D Jaylen Rissling took an instigator minor, fighting major and game misconduct at game’s end. . . . The Hitmen held a 40-18 edge in shots. . . . Calgary (16-7-4) has won three in a row. . . . The Rebels (13-14-2) have lost two straight and are two points out of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . 
In Everett, F Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal, his 24th, and two assists as the Portland Winterhawks doubled the Silvertips, 6-3. . . . The victory allowed the Winterhawks (21-5-3) to move atop the WHL’s overall standings, a point ahead of Everett (20-5-4), which had won five straight. Portland is 5-0-1 in its last six and 7-1-2 in its last 10. . . . These were the first teams to 20 victories this season; the Kelowna Rockets won their 20th game last night. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist ran his point streak to 18 games with two goals — he’s got 23 — the first coming via the PP at 3:57 of the first. . . . Winquist has 40 points, including 16 goals, during his 18-game tear. . . . Portland then scored the next five goals to take control. . . . Portland D Keoni Texeira had two assists in his first multi-point game. . . . Winterhawks F Taylor Leier scored his 20th goal of the season. . . . Winterhawks G Brendan Burke stopped 35 shots in posting his 50th career victory. He is 50-11-6. . . . Portland now heads out on an Alberta swing that opens Friday in Edmonton against the Oil Kings. These teams met in the last two WHL finals, each winning once.
In Kelowna, the Rockets erased 2-1 and 3-2 deficits and beat the Vancouver Giants 4-3 in OT. . . . D Damon Severson got the winner at 2:36 of extra time. He’s got seven goals. . . . This was the first of eight meetings between these two teams. . . . The Rockets (20-3-2) boast the WHL’s best winning percentage (.840). Portland (.776) is next. . . . Kelowna trails the Winterhawks by three points but has four games in hand. . . . The Giants are 5-0-5 in their last 10. . . . At 12-11-7, the Giants hold down the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. They are five points ahead of the idle Prince George Cougars (11-16-4). . . . F Cain Franson scored twice for Vancouver, giving him 10. . . . Kelowna F Ryan Olsen forced OT with his ninth goal at 19:43 of the third. That goal came just 20 seconds after F Alex Baer had given Vancouver a 3-2 lead with his fourth goal. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke turned aside 29 shots in running his record to 15-1-2. In his fourth season, the Leduc, Alta., native is 68-28-10. . . . F Tyson Baillie had a goal, his 12th, and two assists for the Rockets. . . . 
In Victoria, G Coleman Vollrath stopped 25 shots to help the Royals to a 3-0 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . That was the first career shutout for Vollrath, an 18-year-old from Calgary in his second season. He has a 1.88 GAA, .942 save percentage and 6-2-1 record as he backs up Patrik Polivka. . . . The Royals were 2-for-3 on the PP, with their other goal coming while shorthanded. . . . F Logan Nelson had a goal, his 12th, and an assist, while D Brett Cote had two assists. . . . The game might have featured a brother act, with F Mitch Skaspki in Victoria’s lineup, but his brother, G Mackenzie, was on the Ice’s bench in support of Wyatt Hoflin, who stopped 16 shots. . . . The Royals (19-11-1) are 8-2-0 in their last 10 and are fourth in the Western Conference. . . . The Ice, which has been shut out four times this season, will catch a morning ferry and play in Vancouver tonight. . . . 
In Kennewick, Wash, the Tri-City Americans scored two PP goals as they beat the Saskatoon Blades, 3-1. . . . The Americans scored three first-period goals, the first two on the PP. . . . F Taylor Vickerman, who is from Kennewick, scored his second goal to get the Americans started. It was his first goal since returning to the lineup three games ago. He sat out 25 games with an injury. . . . Tri-City F Phil Tot had two assists. . . . The Blades are 0-4 in their swing through the U.S. Division. The tour concludes tonight in Spokane.———
From Scott Sepich (@SSepich): “Current WHLers Alex Delnov and Nikita Scherbak not invited to Russia's WJC camp, but ex-Winterhawk Kirill Vorobev is going.”
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From Meghan Calder (@CalderMeghan): “@Reid Nemeth of the @WHLHurricanes is a keeper. He’s shovelled my driveway twice in 24 hours. Thank you!”
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From Portland Winterhawks F Brendan Leipsic (@bleipsic): “First time being champagned showered in the penalty box tonight #RainingBeers"
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