Friday, June 26, 2015

Five WHLers go in NHL's first round . . . Eakins back in coaching game . . . Pat Canadians have new coach








D Sergei Drozd (Tri-City, 2009-10) signed a one-year extension with Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL). Last season, he had two goals and one assist in 57 games. . . .
F Nigel Dawes (Kootenay, 2001-05) signed a three-year extension with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). Last season, in 60 games, he had 32 goals and 24 assists. He led his team in goals and points, and was second in the league in goals.
F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with Grenoble (France, Ligue Magnus). Last season, with Herning (Denmark, Metal Ligaen), he had 21 goals and 18 assists in 35 games. He led the league in penalty minutes, with 178.
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There were 17 CHL players selected in the first round of the NHL draft on Friday evening in Sunrise, Fla., the home of the Florida Panthers. Five of those 17 were from the WHL. . . . D Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings went to the Philadelphia Flyers at No. 7, followed by F Jake DeBrusk of the Swift Current Broncos to the Boston Bruins at No. 14, F Mathew Barzal of the Seattle Thunderbirds to the New York Islanders at No. 16, D Noah Juulsen of the Everett Silvertips to the Montreal Canadiens at No. 26, and F Nick Merkley of the Kelowna Rockets to the Arizona Coyotes at No. 30. . . . The draft concludes today. . . .
The Vancouver Canucks selected F Brock Boeser with the 23rd selection. Boeser’s WHL rights belong to the Seattle Thunderbirds. He is from Burnsville, Minn., and has committed to North Dakota, something he reiterated after being drafted by Vancouver. Last season, he had 68 points, including 35 goals, in 57 games with the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks. . . . Four Russian-born players were selected in the first round, something that hadn’t happened since 2001.
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The sale of the OHL’s Erie Otters came to a screeching halt on Friday as the league asked James A. Waters to cover US$175,000 in legal fees. Waters had agreed Thursday to buy the franchise out of bankruptcy for US$7,225,000. . . . Valerie Myers has the story right here.
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Dallas Eakins is the new head coach of the San Diego Gulls, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim
Ducks. The Gulls are preparing for their first season in San Diego, after relocating from Norfolk, Va., where they were the Admirals. . . . Eakins spent more than one season as head coach of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, going 36-63-14 before he was fired last season. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, with whom he was 157-114-41. . . . Eakins is believed to have interviewed with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, who are searching for a head coach. In fact, there has been speculation that the Giants’ three-candidate short list included Eakins, Ryan McGill and Lorne Molleken.
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Darrin McKechnie is the new head coach of the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He replaces Brad Herauf, who now is an assistant coach with the Regina Pats. . . . McKechnie spent last season as an assistant coach with the Pats, but left in order to focus on his responsibilities with the Regina Police Service. He also coached the midget AA Regina Capitals, who won the South Saskatchewan league championship.
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