Go West, young men, go West!

It was in the early 1980s when the late Ed Chynoweth, then the WHL’s leader, admitted that his greatest fear had to do with NHL teams moving affiliate teams into Western Canada and setting up a new league.

At the time, he said he could see the day when pro teams were in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Regina and Saskatoon, just for starters.
The Saskatoon Blades are near the end of lease negotiations with the SaskTel Centre. When the papers are signed, the Blades will again have hockey exclusivity in the building. That is something that Chynoweth, all those years ago, felt was of the utmost importance and something that most, if not all, WHL teams insist upon in their leases.
Now here we are more than 30 years later and NHL teams are moving affiliates west, just not into Canada.
The AHL made it official on Thursday — it will have a five-team Pacific Division next season, with all teams located in California.
The Anaheim Ducks will move the Norfolk, Va., Admirals to San Diego; the Calgary Flames will move the Adirondack Flames from Glens Falls, N.Y., to Stockton; the Edmonton Oilers will move the Oklahoma City Barons to Bakersfield; the Los Angeles Kings are moving the Manchester, N.H., Monarchs to Ontario; and the San Jose Sharks are taking the Worcester, Mass., Sharks and relocating them to, yes, San Jose.
The Adirondack Flames are in their first season in Glens Falls, after relocating from Abbotsford, B.C. Adirondack head coach Ryan Huska left the Kelowna Rockets after last season to sign with the Flames.
Mike Stothers, who left the Moose Jaw Warriors after last season, is the first-year head coach of the Monarchs.
San Jose will play its AHL affiliate out of its home building — the SAP Center. Interestingly, San Jose is planning on scheduling Saturday doubleheaders, with the AHL team playing matinees and the NHL team playing at night.
The primary reason for the moves is to get affiliate players closer to the parent clubs to make it that much easier for recalls. Scheduling details are scarce but the five Pacific Division teams will play fewer games than other AHL teams. That and less travel should result in more practice time, all of which should make for happy coaches and better development.
There also is speculation that more NHL teams will get involved in moving their AHL teams in the near future.
The Vancouver Canucks are in their second season with the AHL’s Utica, N.Y., Comets. Pat Conacher, a former head coach of the Regina Pats, is the Comets’ director of hockey operations, with Travis Green, the former assistant GM and assistant coach with the Portland Winterhawks, the head coach.
There is speculation that the Canucks will move the franchise to Abbotsford or Langley, B.C. The Abbotsford Centre seats 7,046 and no longer is home to a hockey team. The 5,276-seat Langley Events Centre is home to, among other things, the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen and the National Lacrosse League’s Vancouver Stealth.
Jim Benning, the Canucks’ general manager, told TSN Radio Vancouver on Thursday that his organization will continue to monitor the situation.
“We're really happy in Utica — players love it there,” Benning said. “We'll continue to monitor it.”
The Winnipeg Jets’ AHL affiliate is in St. John’s, Nfld. There have been rumours since the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg that the Jets would like to have that franchise in Thunder Bay, Ont. That’s hardly close to the Pacific Northwest or California, but it’s closer than Newfoundland.
The Arizona Coyotes, who are hooked up with the AHL’s Portland, Me., Pirates, also are said to be interested in having a team closer to Phoenix.
Some of the communities being vacated by AHL teams are expected to end up being home to ECHL franchises. There also is speculation that the QMJHL would like to expand by two teams and is looking at the vacant arenas.
What impact, if any, will this have as far as the WHL is concerned?
I doubt that there will be any immediate impact, but it certainly could have repercussions down the road.
When these AHL teams get relocated and organized, you can bet that they will be pouring resources into minor hockey programs as they attempt to attract fans. Eventually, that will mean more and better hockey players coming out of those areas.
It all could lead to a WHL team with a completely American roster. Don't scoff. The Portland Winterhawks have 12 players on their 23-man roster right now.


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More on the Chilliwack situation . . .

THE CHILLIWACK-TO-VICTORIA SAGA, Chapter 53:
Have you heard?
The Kootenay Ice hasn’t sent out season-ticket renewals yet!
Yikes!
You may recall that the story of the sale of the Chilliwack Bruins began when fans there became concerned when the team didn’t send out season-ticket renewal forms.
So what’s going on in Cranbrook?
Actually, it turns out the answer is: Nothing.
Sorry, Chilliwack. It turns out this is normal business procedure for the Ice.
“We usually send out our renewals at the end of April with an Early Bird (deadline) at of the end of May,” Jeff Chynoweth, the Ice’s president and general manager, told me via text Thursday night.
Chynoweth, whose Ice has advanced to the Eastern Conference final, added that 2011-12 renewals “will go out early next week. With this playoff run, we decided to get them out earlier than normal.”
And he had some good news for Ice season-ticket holders, too, pointing out that prices will stay the same “for the third consecutive year.”
At the same time, Chynoweth stressed that the Ice really hopes to see an increase in the number of season tickets sold.
“We need to get our season-ticket base back to where it used to be and hopefully around 2,500,” he said.
So . . . Chilliwack fans can stroke the Ice off the list of teams that might replace the soon-to-be departed Bruins. Move the Ice onto the same list as the Prince George Cougars, as teams that are staying put.
Meanwhile, American Hockey League president Dave Andrews, who once coached the WHL’s Victoria Cougars, has stated that his league has a contingency plan involving the Manitoba Moose should the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes return to Winnipeg.
Andrew has yet to offer much in the way of specifics, but all indications are that the plan involves the relocation of the Moose.
Note to Andrews: There is this arena in Chilliwack . . .
———
Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has offered up his opinion of the impending move of the Chilliwack Bruins to the Vancouver Island city. The headline contains the word “bungled.” . . . The piece is right here.
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A couple of thoughts on the Chilliwack situation from Bruce Luebke, the radio voice of the Brandon Wheat Kings whose blog, Luber’s Lounge, is over their on the right:
Far be it for me to get involved in the WHL's business but, just for the record, the situation with the Chilliwack Bruins and their impending move to Victoria smells really bad for all involved. What makes it even tougher to fathom is the fact that the owners of the Bruins bailed out on Tri-City and, basically, blackmailed the WHL into giving them an expansion franchise five years ago. Perhaps the WHL should be a little more cautious about whom them let into their exclusive ownership club!
By the way, do you think that the other WHL owners that were at least partly responsible for putting the Bruins' in a perilous position care? Of course, I'm talking about the Calgary Flames, who decided two years ago to place their AHL team in Abbotsford and helped erode the market for Chilliwack. I'm guessing the answer is no!
———
Travis Paterson, the sports reporter for Black Press in Greater Victoria, has a different take on the hockey situation in the B.C. capital. He compares the ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings, who are into the second round of playoffs despite a bushel of uncertainty, to the Johnstown Chiefs of Slap Shot fame.
Paterson’s piece is right here.
———
Meanwhile, Tyler Olsen of the Chilliwack Times is hearing that Moray Keith, a minority owner in the Chilliwack Bruins’ group, is still hoping to land another WHL franchise for that city. Olsen’s latest story is right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Wednesday . . .

THE CHILLIWACK-TO-VICTORIA SAGA, Chapter 44:
It’s official. Not that it really was ever in doubt.
The Prince George Cougars aren’t going anywhere.
WHL commissioner Ron Robison has told CKPG-TV in Prince George that “there’s never been any application made to the WHL for a move.”
Robison went on to say that “these rumours come up from time to time. I think any time you have a franchise that . . . is struggling with attendance, as Prince George has, for a lengthy period fo time, you’re going to see these types of rumours surface.  But the ownership is still committed to the Prince George market and hoping that things can turn around soon.”
This all started, of course, because the WHL has allowed the majority owners of the Chilliwack Bruins to sell their franchise for $5.5 million. Eventually, the WHL will announce that Vancouver-based RG Properties has purchased the franchise and will relocate it to Victoria.
Once the WHL confirmed that the Bruins had been sold, the speculation was immediate that the Cougars were likely to head south. That just isn't going to happen.
But what Robison didn’t mention to CKPG-TV — or, if he did, the TV station didn’t use it — is that Moray Keith, one of the Bruins’ minority owners, made an attempt to purchase the Cougars.
Keith first tried to buy the Bruins, but his offer of $6.2 million — not $7.75 million as was reported about a month ago — wasn’t even considered, apparently because majority owners Darryl Porter, Brian Burke and Glen Sather had already accepted RG Properties’ offer.
Keith found out that the Cougars aren’t for sale, at least not for what he was offering, and now the good people of Chilliwack appear likely to have a BCHL franchise moving into their city in the near future.
———
Bob Sales, the president of the BCHL’s Quesnel Millionaires, has confirmed to CKPG-TV that, yes, “the team is for sale.”
And, furthermore, there have been talks with . . .
“We haven’t had any firm offers from Chilliwck,” Sales told the TV station, “but we have talked to Chilliwack.”
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Byron Ritchie (Lethbridge, 1993-97) signed a two-year contract with Bern (Switzerland NL A). He had 23 goals and 21 assists in 53 games with MoDo Örnsköldsvik (Sweden Elitserien) this season, good for fifth in league scoring.
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A tip of the cap to the American Hockey League for trimming four games from each team’s regular-season schedule.
Yes, the AHL announced Wednesday that each of its teams will play 76 games next season, down from 80.
At the same time, the AHL said it will lengthen the amount of time it takes to play its regular-season schedule by one week. And it will reduce its first-round playoff series to best-of-five from best-of-seven.
The regular-season scheduling changes will mean teams no longer will be required to play four games in five nights.
"As our league has grown in recent years, we have been working closely with the National Hockey League and the Professional Hockey Players' Association to seek a solution to what has become a very onerous playing schedule," David Andrews, the AHL president, said.
"As our league has grown and our game has become faster and more physical, the wear and tear on our players has begun to affect player development and at times the quality of competition.
“These steps are intended to provide a safer environment for our players through increased rest and recovery time, and also to provide our fans with an even higher calibre of play as a result of reduced player fatigue."
Hurrah for the AHL!
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There is an interesting story developing in the OHL where the Soo Greyhounds are expected to introduce Kyle Dubas as their general manager today. Dubas, at 25 years of age, is a player agent. In fact, he is the youngest player agent to be certified by the NHLPA.
Peter Ruicci of the Sault Star has more right here.
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The New York Islanders will make a coaching change with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, their AHL affiliate. Pat Bingham, an assistant coach who took over as head coach when Jack Capuono moved up to the Islanders in November, won’t be returning.
The Sound Tigers went 24-30-11 under Bingham, who is a former WHL player (Kamloops, New Westminster, 1985-89).
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F Tyler Pitlick of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who hasn’t played in a month because of a broken ankle, has signed a three-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers, who selected him in the second round of the 2010 NHL draft.
Pitlick, 19, put up 62 points, including 27 goals, in 56 games in his first WHL season. He joined the Tigers from the NCAA’s Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks.
Pitlick wsa able to dump his crutches earlier this week, but isn’t expected back in the Tigers’ lineup in the near future.
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ON THE ICE:
In Medicine Hat, the Red Deer Rebels stayed alive with a 1-0 victory over the Tigers. . . . G Dawson Guhle, starting in place of Darcy Kuemper (ankle), turned aside 21 shots for the shutout. . . . Guhle, an 18-year-old from Daysland, Alta., played in 15 games during the regular season — five with the Regina Pats and 10 with Red Deer. . . . Bolton Pouliot, a 16-year-old from Calgary, served as Guhle’s backup. . . . F Byron Froese scored the game’s only goal, his fourth, at 11:27 of the third period. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz turned aside 23 shots. . . . The Tigers had won six straight games. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Tigers take a 3-1 series lead into Game 5 in Red Deer on Saturday. . . . “(Guhle) made some key saves at key times, some big saves,” Jesse Wallin, the Rebels’ head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate. “We know he has that capability and at times this season he’s played real well and shown us what he’s got. But talk about a tough situation to step into, because he hasn’t played a lot of games this season. Good for him. I’m real proud of him and I thought the boys battled real hard in front of him, keeping things to the outside and letting him see the puck and make the first stop. We did a good job of that and yet at playoff time you need big-time goaltending.” . . .
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In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals and finished off the Saskatoon Blades, 5-2. . . . The Ice, the Eastern Conference’s fourth seed, swept the Blades, who had finished with the WHL’s best regular-season record. . . . The Ice is the first team to advance to a conference final. . . . F Matt Fraser scored twice and added two assists for the Ice. He leads the playoffs with 10 goals and is third in points (15). . . . F Max Reinhart also scored twice for the Ice. He’s got seven in these playoffs. . . . Ice G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 33 shots, five fewer than Saskatoon’s Steven Stanford. . . . Attendance was 3,021. . . . The Blades won a WHL-high 56 regular-season games. However, they scored only five goals in four games against the Ice. . . . The Los Angeles Kings, who open the NHL playoffs tonight against the Sharks in San Jose, are expected to recall Saskatoon F Brayden Schenn, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft. Schenn has played eight NHL games, so two more would result in him using up one year of his three-year contract. . . . Cody Nickolet, who provides colour on Blades’ radio broadcasts, tweeted late last night that “Schenn will speak to (Kings GM) Dean Lombardi on Thursday to learn where he is headed.” . . . Nickolet also tweeted that F Curtis Hamilton and D Stefan Elliott will be bound for AHL teams. Hamilton, a second-round NHL draft pick by the Edmonton Oilers in 2009, likely will sign an ATO with the Oklahoma City Barons, while Elliott, who has signed with the Colorado Avalanche, is to join the AHL’s Lake Eric Monsters.
———
In Kelowna, F Nino Niederreiter drew three assists to lead the Portland Winterhawks to a 4-2 victory over the Rockets. . . . The Winterhawks, having won three in a row, hold a 3-1 edge and get their first chance to end the series at home on Friday night. . . . The Winterhawks took a 2-0 on goals 39 seconds apart by F Ty Rattie, at 12:25 of the first, and F Taylor Peters and never trailed. . . . F Shane McColgan got his eighth goal on the PP at 17:39 of the first. . . . Portland D Joe Morrow got that one back on a PP at 2:30 of the third. . . . F Brett Bulmer pulled Kelowna to within one just over 10 minutes later, but the Rockets weren’t able to equalize. . . . Portland F Ryan Johansen, with his seventh point in the last three games, got his sixth goal at 16:11 to provide some insurance. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth, who is 7-1 in these playoffs, stopped 24 shots, while Kelowna’s Adam Brown turned aside 35. . . . Attendance was 4,763.
———
WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Monday . . .

No doubt F Scott Glennie of the Brandon Wheat Kings was disappointed not to have been invited to the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp. So how did he spend Monday after the announcements were made? . . . Was he moping and pouting around Brandon? Was he hiding out in his room? . . . No, he was one of the Brandon traveling party that headed west to Elkhorn, Man., as the Wheat Kings’ Hockey Caravan spent time with players from another rural minor hockey association. . . . Do you think any of those children knew, or cared, that the mucky-mucks somewhere decided Glennie wasn’t good enough to warrant a chance to earn an opportunity to play for Canada? . . . Not on your life. . . . And I’m betting that Glennie came away from there with a smile on his face. . . .
———
Glennie was a first-round selection by the Dallas Stars in the 2009 NHL draft. Gary Roberts, the former NHLer who now works in player development with the Stars, was on the ice with the Wheat Kings on Monday. He was, according to the Brandon Sun’s Rob Henderson, “passing along some on-ice and off-ice tips to the players.” . . . “He’s been here for the past couple days and he’s a great guy and he knows a lot about his stuff,” Glennie told Henderson. “I was really happy that he came down here to see me. I really appreciate that.” . . .
———
Still with the Wheat Kings, what is with the Los Angeles Kings and F Brayden Schenn?
Geez, make a decision already!
Schenn, who has played eight NHL games this season, completed his conditioning stint with the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs and is expected to skate with the Kings today. (Schenn had three goals and four assists, and was plus-3, in seven games with Manchester.)
Schenn, 19, has to play in the NHL or be returned to Brandon. For whatever reason, the Kings seem more intent on having him practice with them and watch them play, rather than return to the Wheat Kings.
Could be the Kings will stall for another couple of weeks and then loan him to Canada’s national junior team, which opens its selection camp in Toronto on Dec. 11.
———
The Prince George Cougars, who are in first place in the B.C. Division, have a chance to make some hay in December. They will play 12 of their next 14 games on home ice. The Calgary Hitmen are at the CN Centre on Wednesday night. . . . The Prince Albert Raiders have returned F Tyler Paslawski, 18, to the SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks. That leaves the Raiders had 23 players, including nine defencemen and 12 forwards. . . . The Raiders have an important week ahead of them as they are in the Central Division for three games. They meet the Oil Kings in Edmonton on Wednesday, the Rebels in Red on Friday and the Hurricanes in Lethbridge on Saturday. . . . Tim Tisdale, who scored the winning goal for the Swift Current Broncos in overtime in the 1989 Memorial Cup championship game, has taken over as GM of the midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires. Tisdale has long been involved in minor hockey in Swift Current, from coaching to refereeing to working on volunteer boards. . . . F Linden Vey of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who is leading the WHL scoring race, is the league’s player of the week. He had nine points, including four goals, as the Tigers went 3-0-0 last week. He also was plus-6. . . . Adam Brown of the Kelowna Rockets is the nominee as CHL goaltender of the week. He was 2-0-0, 1.62, .946. . . . The Spokane Chiefs are listing G James Reid (ankle) as day-to-day. He was injured Friday during a 4-3 shootout loss to the Blazers in Kamloops. . . .
An interesting note from Graham Kendrick, Portland’s director of media and public relations, in his weekly Winterhawks’ update: “The Winterhawks' march to the league's top overall record . . . has been made with a roster comprised entirely of players the team drafted or listed. The Winterhawks don't have a single player on their roster acquired via trade.” That roster features 15 Portland draft picks, six players who were listed and two from the CHL import draft. . . . According to Kendrick, “No other team in the WHL has a roster without a single player having been acquired via trade.” . . . You would have to think the Winterhawks may bring in a player or two via the trade route over the next while. For starters, they have room for a 20-year-old . . .

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca  gdrinnan.blogspot.com Taking Note on Twitter

Some Sunday stuff . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Jaroslav Obsut (Swift Current, Medicine Hat, 1995-97) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Atlant Mytishchi (Russia KHL) after securing his release from Spartak Moscow (Russia KHL). He has two goals and five assists in his 23 games this season with Spartak. . . . As a side note, Obsut was signed by Spartak last season at the insistence of Spartak's then-head coach, Milos Riha. Riha was fired in October and now is the head coach of Atlant. . . .
F Björn Svensson (Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, 2003-06) re-signed with Timrå (Sweden Elitserien) after the club had released him earlier this month. Svensson almost signed with Dusseldorf (Germany DEL), but Dusseldorf withdrew the offer at the last minute. It was then that Timrå decided that it would re-open discussions. Svensson has three goals and six assists in 24 games this season.
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Hockey Canada will announce the roster for its selection camp this morning. That camp runs in Toronto, Dec. 11-15. . . . The television network RDS reports that the QMJHL will have six players invited — F Louis Leblanc (Montreal Juniors), F Michael Bournival (Shawinigan Cataractes), F Sean Couturier (Drummondville Voltigeurs), D Brandon Gormley (Moncton Wildcats), D Simon Despres (Saint John Sea Dogs) and G Olivier Roy (Acadie-Bathurst Titan). . . . Gormley, a first-round pick by the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL’s 2010 draft, went down with a knee injury on the weekend. Reports are that he could be on the shelf for a month, which would be a big loss for Canada. . . . The camp begins December 11th and runs through to the 15th. Canada is scheduled to play exhibition matches against Switzerland in Oshawa on December 20, Sweden in Toronto on December 21 and Finland in Kitchener on December 23. The real fun begins on Boxing Day when Canada takes on Russia.
———
Switzerland has released its 28-player pre-tournament roster, and it includes forwards Sven Bartschi and Nino Niederreiter of the Portland Winterhawks and D Dave Sutter of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The tournament is in Buffalo this time, from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5. . . . The Kamloops Blazers are expecting to lose C Dalibor Bortnak to the Slovakian team that will play in Buffalo.
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The NHL’s Minnesota Wild has recalled D Jared Spurgeon (Spokane, 2005-10) from the AHL’s Houston Aeros. Spurgeon, who turns 21 today, had nine points and 10 penalty minutes in 21 games with the Aeros. But eight of those points have come in his last eight games. He also scored the shootout winner in a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday. Spurgeon signed with the Wild as a free agent on Sept. 22. He will wear No. 26 with the Wild which is to play the Flames in Calgary tonight.
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In Sunday’s only WHL game, Medicine Hat F Hunter Shinkaruk had the lone shootout goal as the Medicine Hat Tigers got past the host Portland Winterhawks, 3-2. . . . F Linden Vey scored his 18th goal for the Tigers. He leads the WHL with 47 points. . . . The Winterhawks got goals from their Swiss connection — Nino Niederreiter, with his eighth, and Sven Bartschi, with No. 18. . . . Bartschi tied the score 2-2 at 19:11 of the second period. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 41 shots, including eight in overtime. . . . Portland held an 8-0 edge in OT shots. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth turned aside 20 shots. . . . The Winterhawks have lost three straight games, all of them this weekend and two of them in shootouts. . . . Attendance was 2,318. Who was to know there were so many CFL fans in the Portland area? . . . The Winterhawks are at home Wednesday when the Kootenay Ice, one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams, drops by for a visit.
———
SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Zero.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca  gdrinnan.blogspot.com  Taking Note on Twitter

The tall and the short of it

An interesting story is developing with the midget AAA team in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. (I have always wondered if there is a Fort Alberta in Saskatchewan?)
Anyway . . .
I am told that the midget AAA Fort Saskatchewan Rangers have two goaltenders — one is 6-foot-6, the other is 5-foot-6. One has signed a WHL contract with the Kamloops Blazers; the other has a brother who is a veteran defenceman with the Blazers.
The tall one is Troy Trombley, a third-round pick by the Blazers in the 2009 bantam draft. The short one is Emerance Maschmeyer, the first female to play in the midget AAA league since Shannon Szabados was with the Maple Leaf Athletic Club in 2002-03. Szabados, of course, later attended camp with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, played in the AJHL and won gold with Canada’s Olympic women’s team in Vancouver in February.
Emerance is the younger sister of Bronson Maschmeyer, who plays with the Blazers.
The two goaltenders both are 16 years of age and I am told that they have, to this point in the season, split the playing time with a team that goes into the weekend at 2-6-5.
———
I was musing yesterday on the time when Pat Ginnell, then the GM and head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers, borrowed goaltender Ron Popplestone from the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Well, I was able to find a clipping in my files from the Brandon Sun of Jan. 4, 1980. Here’s what I wrote:
“Regina Pats general manager Bob Strumm was most upset on Dec. 21, when his Western Hockey League club came out on the short end of a 5-4 count with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
“Medicine Hat . . . was using goaltender Ron Popplestone, who belongs to the Brandon Wheat Kings, and all the rookie net minder did was kick out 64 shots as the Tigers won in overtime. Both Medicine Hat goaltenders -- Kelly Hrudey and Randy Jaycock -- apparently had the flu.
“So Tigers general manager and head cocah Pat Ginnell apparently got permission from WHL president Dave Descent and Brandon general manager Jack Brockest to use Popplestone.
“Strumm immediately protested the game, because the Pats never did give permission for the move. But Descent threw the protest out the door.
“The Pats, though, have appealed and that will be heard by the WHL’s grievance committee, likely in February at the league’s next meeting.”
Popplestone as backing up Brandon starter Scott Olson during the 1979-80 season.
I don’t know that Strumm’s appeal was ever heard. But I have this feeling that if it was he lost.
———
As was mentioned here earlier in the week, the owners of the independent Golden Baseball League’s Victoria Seals pulled the plug on the franchise. Those owners happen to be Russ Parker, who also owns the Regina Pats, and his son, Darren. . . . I meant to follow up on the earlier post with a mention of the news conference that Darren held in Victoria to make it all official. The Victoria Times Colonist’s story is right here. . . . Cleve Dheensaw of the Times Colonist provides some opinion on the situation right here.
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F Colin Jacobs of the Seattle Thunderbirds is from Coppell, Texas. So why is he in the WHL and not playing football somewhere in the U.S.? Adam Kimelman of nhl.com answers that question and more right here. . . . The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Jacobs is in his draft season and, yes, the scouts are taking notice of him.
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The Calgary Herald has been all over the story involving Flames F Brett Sutter and the charges he is facing in Scottsdale, Alta. There’s a story right here on what all is in the police report. And there’s a story right here on how the team is standing by Sutter, who is the son of Flames’ GM Darryl Sutter.
———
Glenda Luymes of the Vancouver Province has taken a look at what the City of Abbotsford, B.C., came up with in order to land the Abbotsford Heat, the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate, and how the hockey fans in the area have responded. Or not. . . . That story is right here.
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The Kootenay Ice (13-4-0-2) meet the Oil Kings in Edmonton tonight before turning to Calgary to face the Hitmen on Sunday. Kootenay, which won 4-2 in Calgary on Thursday, already has beaten the Hitmen four times this season. . . . The Ice has added F Ryan Bloom, a second-round pick in the 2008 bantam draft, and F Jarrett Zentner, a fourth-rounder in the same draft. Bloom was brought in from the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons; Zentner plays for the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. Both will stay with the Ice through the weekend. . . . The Ice lost F Brock Montgomery with a head injury during Wednesday’s practice. . . . He joined D James Martin (facial injury), F Drew Czerwonka (shoulder) and F Brendan Hurley (hand) on the shelf. . . . G Alex Pechurskiy, who lost out in the 20-year-old game with the Tri-City Americans, has signed with the Central league’s Mississippi RiverKings. Pechurskiy, who is from Magnitogorsk, Russia, went 13-10-1, 2.61, .912 with the Americans last season. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2208 draft. . . . F Brendan Shinnimin of the Americans is eligible to return to their lineup Saturday when they meet the Chiefs in Spokane. He sat out the 12th game of his 12-game suspension on Friday night as the Americans played the visiting Everett Silvertips. Shinnimin was suspended for a hit from behind on Saskatoon Blades F Josh Nicholls on Oct. 6. . . . In practice this week, Shinnimin, who had 13 points in seven games when he was suspended, was working on a line with Adam Hughesman and Kruise Reddick. . . . The WHL may rule Monday on the length of suspension to Vancouver Giants D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen, who picked up a major penalty and a game misconduct for a Thursday hit on Chilliwack Bruins F Robin Soudek. . . . Soudek left the ice surface on a backboard but the Bruins didn’t update his condition on Friday. . . . F Brendan Rowinski, acquired by the Giants from the Moose Jaw Warriors, practised with Vancouver on Friday and should play tonight against the visiting Prince George Cougars.
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The last fan had barely left Friday night’s final game when the email chimed. And here’s what had arrived:
“As Forrest Gump once said, I may not be a smart man, but can you help explain how an entire conference can be at or above .500 at 20 games into the regular season?
“Your insight is much appreciated Professor.”
It’s true. Each of the Western Conference’s 10 teams is at .500 or better.
Seriously.
Congratulations are in order to whomever is responsible for the format that allows this to happen.
All told, 17 of the WHL’s 22 teams went to bed safe in the knowledge that they were at .500 or better.
That, folks, is no mean feat.
Of course, what it all means is that the old axiom “For every winner there is a loser” no longer holds water or anything else.
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In Friday’s most-anticipated game, the host Saskatoon Blades scored a 4-3 victory over Portland, snapping the Winterhawks’ 10-game winning streak. The Blades (14-5-0-1) scored the game’s last two goals, with F Josh Nicholls scoring on the Pp at 11:09 of the third period and F Curtis Hamilton getting the winner at 18:01. . . . The Blades got a goal and three assists from F Marek Viedensky, while Hamilton and Nicholls each had a goal and two assists. . . . The Winterhawks, at 16-3-0-1, still boast the WHL’s best record. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 33 shots, including 18 of 20 in the first period. . . . Saskatoon opened with Adam Morrison in goal. He stopped 12 of 14 shots, but left after F Riley Boychuk broke a 2-2 tie on the PP just 59 seconds into the third. . . . Steven Stanford came on to stop 13 of 14. Stanford had been out since Oct. 26 when he suffered a concussion in practice. . . . Portland F Sven Bartschi had one assist to run his point streak to 14 games. . . . The much-ballyhooed game — the Blades debuted the denim look, Shannon Tweed and Gene Simmons were in the crowd — drew 8,812 fans. . . .

In Moose Jaw, Warriors D Collin Bowman scored two first-period goals but Medicine Hat F Ryan Harrison struck three times — including twice on the same shift — in the second period and the Tigers went on to a 6-3 victory. . . . Harrison has nine goals this season. . . . Medicine Hat F Tyler Pitlick broke a 3-3 tie with his fifth at 12:27 of the third. . . .


In Brandon, F Scott Glennie’s goal 53 seconds into OT gave the Wheat Kings a 3-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. F Shayne Wiebe, the team captain, scored twice for Brandon. He has 10 goals this season. . . .

In Regina, the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the game’s last four goals, three of them in a span of 7:07 in the third period, and beat the Pats, 5-4. F Charles Wells broke a 4-4 tie at 14:20 of the third period. . . . The first three goals of Seattle’s comeback all came via the PP. . . . F Colin Jacobs had two goals and an assist for Seattle, while D Brendan Dillon had three assists. . . . F Carter Ashton scored his ninth and 10th goals for the Pats. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 38 shots. . . . Seattle was 3-for-4 on the PP. . . . The Thunderbirds are 3-1-1 on their East Division trip and have won the last three. . . . Seattle wraps up its trip tonight in Swift Current against the Broncos. . . .

In Swift Current, the Broncos blew a 2-0 lead and then got a PP goal from F Brad Hoban at 10:29 of the third period for a 3-2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Hoban had two goals, giving him 10. . . . G Mark Friesen stopped 45 shots for the Broncos. . . . The Raiders, who have lost three in a row, were without F Igor Revenko, who was out with an undisclosed injury. Apparently, he will be going to Edmonton for tests next week. . . .

In Spokane, F Tyler Johnson scored twice and G James Reid had 37 saves as the Chiefs beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 4-3. . . . The Chiefs are 4-0-0 all-time against the Oil Kings. . . .


In Kelowna, the Rockets won their sixth straight game, beating the Prince George Cougars, 4-1. . . . F Mitchell (Dirty Harry) Callahan had a goal and an assist for Kelowna, which has gone from 4-10-0 to 10-10-0 with the winning skein. . . . D Tyson Barrie had two assists for the Rockets, who play the Blazers in Kamloops tonight. . . . Callahan’s 11th goal was into an empty net. He has 15 points in the six-game streak, which includes five victories over B.C. Division opponents. . . .

In Chilliwack, the Red Deer Deer Rebels’ scored the game’s first three goals and went on to beat the Bruins, 4-3. . . . The Bruins scored those three goals on eight shots in the game’s first 8:30. . . . F Ryan Howse scored his 17th goal of the season for the Bruins, tying him for the WHL lead with F Brendan Gallagher of the Vancouver Giants and F Brendan Ranford of the Kamloops Blazers. . . . F Turner Elson had a goal and an assist for the Rebels. The goal, his seventh, gave the Rebels a 4-2 lead and stood up as the winner. . . . Red Deer went 3-1-2 on its swing through B.C. and into the U.S. . . .

In Everett, F Josh Birkholz scored three times and added two assists as the Silvertips scored a 5-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Birkholz has nine points, six of them goals, in 18 games. In other words, he more than doubled his points output in one game. . . . Birkholz was on a line with Scott MacDonald, who had two goals and an assist, and Clayton Cumiskey, who had an assist. . . . Cumiskey appeared to dislocate a finger at one point in the game. He left for repairs and then returned to action. . . . Everett G Luke Siemens, in a rare start, stopped 45 shots. . . . The Silvertips meet the visiting Chilliwack Bruins tonight and then travel to Kamloops for a Sunday encounter with the Blazers.
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FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
One double minor:
Brandon F Mark Mieritz
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Six minors:
Seattle F Jacob Doty
Spokane F Blake Gal
Spokane F Tyler Johnson
Everett D Brennan Yadlowski
Red Deer D Alex Petrovic
Tri-City F Kruise Reddick

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter

A quiet Monday . . .

F Stefan Schneider played last season as a 20-year-old with the Portland Winterhawks. As the playoffs wore on, he seemed on his way to the U of British Columbia where he would play with the Thunderbirds. But a funny thing happened on his way there — he ended up signing an NHL contract and now he is with the AHL's Manitoba Moose. Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun has that story right here.
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F Andrej Kudrna of the Red Deer Rebels is the WHL player of the week. He had seven points, including four goals, as the Rebels won both their games. His week included a goal and two assists in a 5-2 victory over the visiting Vancouver Giants, who traded him to the Rebels last season. . . . Kudrna, a 19-year-old Slovakian, now has 24 points in 16 games, good for fourth spot in the scoring derby. . . . The WHL has nominated G Nathan Lieuwen of the Kootenay Ice as the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He was 2-0-0-0, 1.00, .960 last week.
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The Prince Albert Raiders are hoping to get at least one defenceman back off the injury list this week. D Jordan Rowley (broken wrist) has been out since the season-opener on Sept. 24 and may return Friday against the visiting Swift Current Broncos. The Raiders first play Wednesday against the Spokane Chiefs, who are on an East Division swing. . . . The Raiders also are without D Emerson Hrynyk (shoulder) and D Nathan Deck (knee). . . . Hrynyk has been out since being injured Oct. 5 so also should be close to a return.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter