Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Two WHLers in KHL camp ... Medicine Hat chasing tournament; Gas City wants U-17 WHC


F Brandon McMillan (Kelowna, 2006-10) had his KHL rights traded by Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (Russia, KHL) to Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL) for monetary compensation. He started last season with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL), recording nine goals and six assists in 31 games. He moved to Torpedo on Nov. 21, where he had five goals and four assists in 24 games. . . . 
F Brock Montgomery (Kootenay, 2009-13) has signed a one-year contract with the Tilburg Trappers (Netherlands, Germany Oberliga). Last season, he had two goals and four assists in 12 games with the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL), and eight goals and eight assists in 22 games with the Adirondack Thunder (ECHL).
———

With KHL teams having opened training camps in preparation for a new season, at least two WHLers are with one of the teams on a tryout basis. . . . D Anatoliy Yelizarov, 19, of the Edmonton Oil Kings and F Vladislav Lukin, 20, of the Tri-City Americans are skating with HC Salavat Yulaev. . . . Yelizarov, who isn’t expected to return to Edmonton for a third season, had seven goals and six assists in 67 games last season. In 125 games over two seasons, he has nine goals and 13 assists. . . . The Oil Kings likely will opening training camp with sophomore F Artyom Balturak and F Andrei Pavlenko as their imports. Both are from Belarus; Pavlenko was selected earlier this month in the CHL import draft. . . . Lukin, meanwhile, has told the Americans that he wants to come to camp, even though he would be in tough as a two-spotter -- a 20-year-old import. He has played three seasons with Tri-City, putting up 118 points, including 54 goals, in 183 games. Last season, he had 26 goals and 32 assists in 63 games.
——
City council in Medicine Hat has given its support to a local group that wants to play host to the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in 2018. . . . Ron Webb, who chairs the committee, appeared before City Council on Tuesday night. . . . The 2018 tournament is scheduled for Nov. 1-12. . . . This year, for a second straight year, the tournament will be played in the B.C. communities of Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, Nov. 5-11. . . . Sean Rooney of the Medicine Hat News has more right here.
——
If you’re a regular here, and even if you aren’t, feel free to make a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
———
Coaching

Jordan Smith has signed on as an associate coach with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, where he’ll work alongside head coach Cory Stillman and assistant coach Darryl Moxam. Smith played four seasons (2001-05) with his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He spent the past four seasons coaching with the NOJHL’s Soo Thunderbirds.
——
Adam Redmond is the new head coach of the AJHL’s Olds Grizzlys, who are under new ownership. Redmond is a former Grizzlys assistant coach. For the past two seasons, Redmond has been the assistant GM/associate coach with the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks. . . . Redmond will be joined behind the bench by Joe Murphy, a former Grizzlys player. . . . Dana Lattery had been the director of hockey operations and head coach for the previous two seasons, and now is acting as an advisor. Lattery had worked as an Olds assistant coach for three-plus seasons before that.


There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket