Memorial Cup semifinal set . . . Remparts coach pays price for rant . . . Pats shuffle their deck

D Shaun Heshka (Everett, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with MODO Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, SHL). This season, with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL), he had one goal and five assists in 22 games. He was traded to Admiral Vladivostok (Russia, KHL) on Oct. 31, and had 13 points, including two goals, in 35 games there. . . .

F Malte Strömwall (Tri-City, 2011-13) signed a one-year contract with AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, with Växjö (Sweden, SHL), he had two goals in 21 games. He also had one goal and one assist in 21 games with Lulea (Sweden, SHL). On loan to Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had one goal in four games, and he had three goals in 12 games with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL). . . .

Darrell Hay (Tri-City, 1996-2000) has signed a one-year contract as a full-time assistant coach with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). This season, with Sheffield, the defenceman had six goals and 19 assists in 65 games. . . . Hay, the son of Kamloops Blazers head coach Don Hay, remains registered as an active player for Sheffield for next season.
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It’ll be the WHL-champion Kelowna Rockets and the host Quebec Remparts in the Memorial Cup semifinal tonight in Quebec City. . . . The winner will meet the OHL-champion Oshawa Generals in Sunday’s final. . . . The Remparts advanced with a 5-2 victory over the QMJHL-champion Rimouski Oceanic before only 6,533 fans on Thursday night. . . . Attendance through seven games is 59,669, an average of 8,524. . . . I seem to recall attendance, or the perceived lack of same, being something of a story when the tournament was held in Saskatoon in 2013. That tournament featured nine games and drew 82,503 fans, an average of 9,167. . . . There should be more than 10,000 fans in Quebec City tonight. . . . This was the 17th time these two teams have met this season; the Oceanic finished with a 10-5-2 edge. Rimouski also went into

the tiebreaker having won its last six games against the Remparts at the Pepsi Colisée. . . . The Oceanic had posted a 4-0 victory over the Remparts in a round-robin game on Wednesday. After that game, Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher ripped the officiating — both referees were from the QMJHL. On Thursday, Boucher was fined $10,000. . . . The Kelowna Rockets were fined $500 after someone from their organization was critical of the officiating following a 4-3 tournament-opening loss to the Remparts. . . . Presumably, the difference is that Boucher performed his surgery in public, while the Kelowna official did it in private to CHL officials. . . . Adam Proteau of The Hockey News has more on Boucher and his rant right here. . . . After last night’s game, Boucher told reporters: “"I told my daughter there's no vacation this summer.” . . . Last night’s referees were Brett Iverson of the WHL and the OHL’s Mike Cairns. . . . Quebec F Jerome Verrier scored twice, his first goals in 15 games, while F Anthony Duclair and F Marc-Olivier Roy scored their first goals in nine games. . . . Verrier and Duclair had both left Wednesday’s game with injuries. . . . F Jeremy Lepine pulled Rimouski into a 2-2 tie at 16:07 of the second period. . . . However, Quebec F Adam Erne scored 47 seconds later and Verrier made it 4-2 at 19:19. . . . Roy iced it with his goal at 11:31 of the third. . . . Quebec G Zach Fucale, who didn’t finished one night earlier, stopped 30 shots, four more than Rimouski’s Philippe Desrosiers. . . . The Remparts were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Oceanic was 1-for-3. . . . This is the final hockey event to be held in the Pepsi Colisée, and you can bet the Remparts are using that for motivation.

(1.) Rimouski & Quebec playing each other for 17th time this season. Announcer says "Unheard of!". How cute....

— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015

(2.). @SeattleTbirds and @pdxwinterhawks played each other 18 times this season. Have played 19 times in a season in the past.

— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015

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Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday, May 22: Kelowna 3 vs. Quebec 4 (9,497)
Saturday, May 23: Rimouski 3 vs. Oshawa 4 (8,409)
Sunday, May 24: Quebec 4 vs. Oshawa 5 (OT) (10,970)
Monday, May 25: Rimouski 3 vs. Kelowna 7 (6,981)
Tuesday, May 26: Oshawa 2 vs. Kelowna 1 (7,002)
Wednesday, May 27: Quebec 0 vs. Rimouski 4 (10,277)
Thursday, May 28 (tiebreaker): Quebec 5 vs. Rimouski 2 (6,533)
Friday (semifinal): Kelowna vs. Quebec, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday (championship): Oshawa vs. Kelowna/Quebec winner, 7 p.m.
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The Regina Pats did a bit of shuffling in their front office on Thursday. . . . John Paddock now is the senior vice-president of hockey operations, general manager and head coach, while assistant coach Dave Struch has added assistant GM to his duties. . . . Gord Pritchard, the director of corporate affairs, now is the assistant to the general manager. . . . The Pats also have extended the contracts of goaltender coach Rob Muntain, athletic therapist Greg Mayer and equipment manager Gord Cochran. . . . As well, they announced that assistant coach Darrin McKechnie won’t be returning. According to a news release, McKechnie, “an Inspector with the Regina Police Service (RPS), recently received a promotion.” . . . The Pats now are looking to add an assistant coach to their staff.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that Struch’s promotion is all part of the Pats’ succession plan.
From Harder’s story:
“There’s no question that we think Dave is our next head coach,” offered Pats president Todd Lumbard. “John has indicated that potentially his coaching days may be coming to an end, not right away, but at some point (in the not-too-distant future). Dave is the logical successor. If the timing can work out, that would be our plan for sure. John would move fully into the GM’s role and Dave would become our head coach. It’s not written in stone but that’s something we have talked about.”
Harder added: “The tentative plan is for the 60-year-old Paddock to remain behind the bench for the duration of his four-year contract, which he signed last summer to become the team’s head coach and senior vice-president of hockey operations. He absorbed the general manager’s title on Thursday as part of a minor shuffling of the hockey operations department, highlighted by Struch accepting a larger role.”
Harder also reported: “Although Struch was already under contract for the next three seasons, the Pats felt compelled to make a pre-emptive strike in order to keep him. He was regarded as a potential candidate for WHL head-coaching vacancies with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kootenay Ice and Vancouver Giants.
All three clubs are believed to have asked the Pats for permission to speak to him. According to sources, he was a leading candidate for the job in Lethbridge before pulling himself out of the running to stay in Regina.”
——
Bruce Vance worked his last day with the Prince Albert Raiders on Thursday. He spent seven years with
the Lethbridge Hurricanes and 14 with the Raiders. He now is moving on to work for the City of Prince Albert.
In honour of his leaving the Raiders, we have this note from Liane Sadlemyer Vance:

BRUCE VANCE

I am posting this for Carrie Georgeson, Eryn Georgeson-Tait, Kim Pagé who have expressed sadness on this day that Bruce Vance is leaving the Prince Albert Raiders. I have known Bruce for almost 30 years and his nicknames and sayings get in your head and won't go away (just ask his children)!! So here are the top 10 Bruce Vance(isms) for you ladies to give you a laugh. And remember when you catch yourself saying them over and over again, you have Bruce to thank (please note these are Bruce Vance Raider(isms), he makes up new sets depending on his environment.
10. ARGOOOOOOOSSSS!!!! (This would be yelled at random times, not necessarily when the Argos are playing)
9. Corksoaker!
8. 4,5, 6!!
7. Meow (this is more of a sound as opposed to a saying)
6. Smile and nod...
5. It's a great day for hockey
4. NUGGET what are you doing????
3. NOTHING!!!
2. Let's do this, it's our time
1. Win or lose..........
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THE COACHING GAME:

Geoff Grimwood, who had been working with the Victoria Royals, is the new general manager and head coach of the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers. . . . Grimwood spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Royals. He also oversaw the major midget South Island Royals for parts of three seasons. . . . Before that, he was an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Powell River Kings for two seasons. . . . He replaces Rockie Zinger, whose contract wasn’t renewed.
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If your organization is making a change or has vacancies that you are trying to fill, email Taking Note at gregg@takingnote.ca, and I’ll let the hockey crowd that follows this blog know all about it.
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In the AHL, the visiting Utica Comets scored a 4-1 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins last night, to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal. F Sven Baertschi scored Utica’s first three goals. . . . Baertschi, who was acquired by the parent Vancouver Canucks from the Calgary Flames during the season, scored three second-period goals in a span of 8:36. . . . Utica F Jake Virtanen, who played this season with the Calgary Hitmen, drew an assist on Baertschi’s third goal. That was Virtanen’s first professional point. . . . Attendance was 5,122. . . . The Comets and Griffins will play again tonight and Sunday in Grand Rapids. . . .
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F Radel Fazleev of the Calgary Hitmen has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. Fazleev, 19, was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round of the NHL’s 2014 draft. . . . A native of Kazan, Russia, he had 51 points, including 18 goals, in 71 games this season, his second with the Hitmen. . . .
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The Brandon Wheat Kings revealed earlier in the week that they have sold more than 1,200 season-tickets with two weeks left before their early bird deadline. A year ago, with two weeks to the deadline, the Wheat Kings said they had sold 1,100 season-tickets. A year ago, when the deadline arrived in June, that total was at 1,600. . . . The Wheat Kings, who lost in the WHL’s championship final earlier this month, are expected to contend again next season.
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“Rowan Stringer’s fatal head injury on a high school rugby field could have been prevented if those around her had some basic knowledge of concussion management, an internationally renowned concussion expert told an inquest Thursday into the teenager’s death,” writes Chris Cobb of the Ottawa Citizen. “Despite the proliferation of publicly available information about concussions and concussion management, Toronto neurologist Charles Tator said, it is a major concern that none of it appears to have reached Rowan, her peers, coaches or teachers.” . . . Stringer, 17, died in May 2013, four days after being injured. . . . The inquest in Ottawa has been ongoing and the jury is expected to bring back recommendations next week. . . . Cobb’s story is right here.
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These are interesting days with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, with Klay Thompson appearing to have suffered a concussion on Wednesday night, just a couple of nights after Steph Curry, the league’s MVP, took a hard fall and landed on his head. . . . Jesus Gomez of sbnation.com has more right here.
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And so it begins. #newboards #whlcanes #yql pic.twitter.com/t1zp2C9DzJ

— LethbridgeHurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) May 28, 2015

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.

No WHL in Washington? . . . Remembering Ryan Donaldson . . . Thunderbirds edge Rockets

A WHL without any franchises in the state of Washington?
It could happen.
That was the message delivered by representatives of the WHL’s four Washington-based franchises to a State House Committee on Labor in the state capital of Olympia on Tuesday.
The committee is addressing the nonemployee status of athletes in amateur sports. The bill in front of the committee would exempt athletes playing in amateur leagues from laws mandating they be paid the minimum wage.
According to a report filed by king5.com, Russ Farwell, the president and general manager, of the Seattle Thunderbirds and Gary Gelinas, the president of the Everett Silvertips, told the committee that “if the state does not change the definition, they could be forced to move the franchises out of state because it would not be able to continue to have 16- and 17-year-old players on the roster.”
The Chiefs were represented by Greg Sloan, their chief financial officer, while Bob Tory, the governor and general manager, was there on behalf of the Americans.
King5.com reports that all four representatives “spoke in favour” of the bill.
Farwell told the committee that “our players are 100 percent amateurs.” . . . The king5.com story is right here.
There is a video report right here.
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It is just more than a year since Ryan Donaldson’s death and his sister, Kirsten, is determined that he won’t be forgotten. But it’s more than that. She is starting the Ryan Donaldson Memorial Tournament in his memory. But it’s still more than that. . . . I don’t know if the medical community has determined a direct link between suicide and concussions, but common sense tells you the possibility is there and that it’s strong. Kirsten told 604now.com that she wants “to raise the money so that we can have an account for any athlete that gets a concussion and can’t afford the secondary test, or needs to go to a specialist and can’t afford to go.” . . . The complete story is right here. . . . Ryan, who was 17 when he died, had been a fifth-round selection by the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft.
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The Victoria Royals are getting into the Hockey Hooky business. They have designated Tuesday’s game against the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors as their inaugural Hockey Hooky Day. Game time will be 12:05 p.m. . . . It will be Victoria’s first weekday matinee game. . . .
The Moose Jaw Warriors play the first of seven straight road games tonight in Lethbridge. The Warriors are out of their building while the Canadian women’s curling championship is decided. . . . Moose Jaw F Jesse Shynkaruk will complete a three-game suspension tonight. The Warriors are hoping F Jaimen Yakubowski 20, will be back after a three-game injury-related absence. . . .
F Conner Bleackley of the Red Deer Rebels isn’t likely to play in either of the club’s two home games this weekend, Friday against Lethbridge and Saturday against Prince George. . . . Bleackley, the Rebels’ captain, suffered an undisclosed injury in a Saturday game in Vancouver. . . . “I would say he’s questionable, at best, for the weekend,” Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ GM/head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate.“He’s still pretty sore and it’s just a matter of taking it day-by-day, but I don’t think he’s be available for the next two games.” . . .
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet takes a look at the Evander Kane situation right here. It’s all-encompassing and well worth a read.
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“Former NHL star Robert (Butch) Goring and well-known veterans Sergio Momesso, Manny Legace, Brian Savage and Todd Warriner are among a group of 29 retired players who Monday joined concussion litigation against the NHL for failing to protect its players from the effects of traumatic head injuries,” Ada Proteau of The Hockey News reported on Monday. “The new group of 29 players included their names in a U.S District Court lawsuit filed in Minnesota Monday. Although they aren’t represented by lead counsel in the original lawsuit, they are now linking up to accuse the NHL of not doing enough to take appropriate care of their health and cognitive abilities and are seeking unspecified damages as well as a jury trial. The list also includes recognizable names including Todd Elik, Greg Adams and Todd Harvey.” . . . Proteau’s complete report is right here.
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Another concussion-related lawsuit has been filed in the U.S., this one naming Pop Warner football. Edwin Rios of Mother Jones writes: “On Thursday, Debra Pyka, the mother of Joseph Chernach, a 25-year-old Wisconsin man who committed suicide in 2012, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Pop Warner, claiming that cognitive damage from his three years in organized youth football was responsible for his death. The lawsuit claims Chernach suffered from postconcussion syndrome and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease most often associated with former NFL players, as a result of "numerous" concussions he sustained starting when he was 11.” . . . There’s more right here.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

In Swift Current, G Rylan Parenteau stopped 35 shots to lead the Prince Albert Raiders to a 2-1 victory over the Broncos. . . . Parenteau stopped 29 of 30 shots over the last two periods. . . . He lost his shutout bid when F Colby Cave scored his 22nd goal with 0.4 of a second left on the clock. . . . F Sean Montgomery scored his fourth goal of the season at 10:48 of the second period and D Mackenze Stewart got his third at 7:33 of the third. . . . The Raiders (22-31-2) had lost four straight (0-3-1). They are nine points out of a playoff spot with 17 games remaining. . . . The Broncos (25-24-5), who are third in the East Division, had won their previous two games. . . .

In Saskatoon, the Spokane Chiefs scored three times in the first 3:08 of the game and went on to a 6-3 victory over the Chiefs. . . . F Adam Helewka scored his 29th goal just 22 seconds into the game to get the visitors started. He later added an assist. . . . F Jacob Cardiff added his third at 1:07 and F Jackson Playfair got his ninth at 3:08. . . . F Liam Stewart had two goals for Spokane, giving him 19, while F Kailer Yamamoto ended a 10-game goalless drought with his 17th goal and two assists. . . . F Wyatt Sloboshan had two assists for the Blades, while D Brycen Martin got his sixth goal and also had an assist. . . . The Chiefs (26-23-4) are 2-1-0 on a six-game swing through the East Division that continues tonight in Prince Albert. Spokane holds down the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . The Blades (15-35-3) have lost four in a row. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has a game story right here. . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Tigers scored the only two goals of a shootout and beat the Regina Pats, 5-4. . . . Tigers F Markus Eisenschmid forced OT when he scored his second goal of the game and 17th of the season with 15.6 seconds left in the third period. . . . F Dryden Hunt and F Cole Sanford scored the shootout goals. . . . F Austin Wagner’s 18th goal, at 1:01 of the third period, gave the Pats a 3-1 lead. . . . The Tigers tied it on goals from Eisenschmid, at 6:53, and D Kyle Burroughs, on a PP, at 8:32. Burroughs has six goals. . . . Regina F Braden Christoffer gave his side the lead with his 17th goal at 9:52. . . . Hunt had two assists. . . . F Pavel Padakin scored twice for the Pats, giving him 19. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple stopped 45 shots through OT, 18 more than Medicine Hat’s Marek Langhamer. . . . The Tigers (36-15-3) had lost four in a row (0-3-1). They now lead the Central Division by eight points over the Calgary Hitmen, who have won eight straight. . . . The Pats (30-17-7), who are a comfortable second in the East Division, have points in six straight (4-0-2). . . .

In Kent, Wash., D Jerret Smith’s PP goal at 16:26 of the third period gave the Seattle Thunderbirds a 2-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Smith has six goals this season. . . . F Nick Merkley gave the Rockets a 1-0 lead with his 17th goal at 9:14 of the second period. . . . F Mathew Barzal pulled Seattle even with his 10th goal at 10:22 of the third. . . . Barzal also drew an assist on the winner. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 32 shots, seven more than Kelowna’s Michael Herringer, who suffered his first loss in six decisions. . . . According to the Thunderbirds, there were 42 NHL scouts at the game. . . . The Thunderbirds were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Rockets were 0-for-6. . . . Kelowna played its second game without F Tyson Baillie, who took a shot to the head in Kamloops on Saturday. The Rockets also are missing G Jackson Whistle (appendectomy). . . . Kelowna F Tomas Soustal didn’t play. He drew a ‘tbd’ suspension for a charging major and game misconduct he incurred on Monday against Prince George. . . . Seattle improved to 28-20-6 and closed to within four points of second-place Portland in the U. S. Division. Seattle holds a game in hand. . . . The Rockets (42-9-4) had points in each of their previous nine games (8-0-1).
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

(all times local)
Spokane at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Tri-City at Everett, 7:05 p.m.


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.

McDavid's right hand in spotlight . . . Benson returns with injury . . . That's 20 for Chartier

F Zdeněk Blatný (Seattle, Kootenay, 1998-2001) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, with Frederikshavn (Denmark, Metal Ligaen), he had three goals and five assists in five games.
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THE FIGHT:

About the time when Connor McDavid swung and missed on Tuesday night, Sportsnet was running a Friday Night Hockey promo during its telecast of the Subway Super Series game from Brandon.
"What separates Connor from his class?" intoned the voice. "Brilliant hands . . ."
Meanwhile, on Twitter, it was as though the stable was on fire.
McDavid, of course, is The Next One. He plays for the OHL's Erie Otters and is likely to win the league's scoring title . . . well, he was until last night, that is. He had 42 points through 14 games, was blanked in No. 15 and then put up seven points over his next two games.
The Otters were at home to the Mississauga Steelheads last night. They had a 4-0 lead in the second period, and McDavid already had a goal, his 16th, and an assist. Then, at 13:50, McDavid took exception to a whack from Steelheads F Bryson Cianfrone and dropped his gloves.
(Victor Fernandes, who covers the Otters for the Erie Times-News, tweeted: "For those keeping score, that was #McDavid's 2nd #OHL fight - 1st where he actually threw punches.")
About halfway through the bout, McDavid's right fist made contact with the boards, dasher or glass. He skated off the ice, his left hand clutching the top of his right hand in obvious discomfort, and headed to the dressing room. He later went to an area hospital for X-rays, the results of which weren't available last night.
McDavid, according to the Otters, is to see a hand specialist today. However, reports late last night indicated that there is a fracture in there somewhere, although it isn't believed to be major.
The Sportsnet gang may not get any sleep as it awaits word on McDavid's immediate future. Game 3 in the Subway Series, this one featuring the OHL and the Russians, is scheduled for Thursday in Peterborough. McDavid is on the OHL's roster.
On Friday, as part of its 12-year CHL contract, Sportsnet is scheduled to show us a game that has the Otters visiting St. Catharines to play the Niagara IceDogs.
We won't even get into how the personality of Canada's national junior team changes if McDavid isn't able to play in the 2015 World Junior Championship that is to be played in Montreal and Toronto. Of course TSN has the TV rights to the WJC, which is why Bob McKenzie was all over this story from the moment McDavid's hand hit the wall.
And if you were tired of hearing about McDavid prior to Tuesday's bout, well, you ain't seen nothin' yet. You can bet that it's going to be all McDavid all the time between now and the Canadian team’s December selection camp. Will he be able to, or won’t he?
Meanwhile, on Twitter, the pro-fighting crowd was braying before the X-ray tech took the first picture of McDavid's hand. Presumably that bunch all will be watching Sportsnet on Thursday and Friday nights if McDavid isn't available.
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Cathal Kelly, The Globe and Mail's sports columnist, was at last night's game in Erie, Pa. His column on what transpired is right here.
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If you haven't yet seen video of the scrap, it is right here.
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Adam Proteau of The Hockey News wrote a piece about the Connor McDavid situation last night. It could be that he was doing a little trolling, too. If so, he caught some big ones. Just check the comments that follow this piece right here.
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The Vancouver Giants aren’t expected to have F Tyler Benson in the lineup tonight when they meet the visiting Tri-City Americans. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reported Tuesday morning that Benson returned from the U-17 World Hockey Challenge with an undisclosed injury. . . . Benson, who has three goals and eight assists in 11 games, skated by himself prior to the Giants’ practice, so isn’t believed to be seriously injured. . . . Ewen also reported that F Jakub Stukel (hand), who has played only two games this season, will see a doctor on Nov. 18. He has at least been shooting pucks. . . . F Johnny Wesley, a 17-year-old from White Rock, B.C., skated with the Giants on Tuesday and may be an option for tonight. Wesley, who played one game with the Giants last season, plays with the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles.
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The Kamloops Blazers have released F Spencer Bast, 17, from their roster and he is expected to join the SJHL’s Battefords North Stars. Bast, from Macklin, Sask., was pointless in six games with Kamloops. . . . The Blazers are carrying 24 players, including eight defencemen and 14 forwards.
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Russia won Game 2 of the Subway Super Series, beating the WHL 3-2 in Brandon on Tuesday night. That sends the Russians east with a 5-1 lead in the series -- it’s three points for a regulation victory, zero for a regulation loss, two points for a shootout victory, one point for a shootout loss). . . . Attendance was announced at 4,788. The capacity of Westman Place is 4,999. . . . Russian F Maxim Mamin took an awkward tumble into the end boards after behind hit by WHL D Joe Hicketts on Monday in Saskatoon. Mamin was taken from the ice on a stretcher and apparently was taken to hospital. I didn’t hear an update on his condition during Game 2. . . . D Shea Theodore, who played for the WHL in Monday's 3-2 shootout loss in Saskatoon, didn't get into the lineup last night. Earlier in the day, he rejoined the Seattle Thunderbirds. He practised with them and should be in their lineup tonight when they meet the Warriors in Moose Jaw.
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D Jarret Tyszka and D Alec Capstick, a pair of WHL bantam draft picks, apparently visited the U of Wisconsin on Sunday. . . . Tyszka, from Langley, B.C., was selected by the Seattle Thunderbirds with the 16th overall pick of the 2014 bantam draft. He is playing for the Yale Hockey Academy U18 team. . . . Capstick, also from Langley, was taken by the Saskatoon Blades in the fourth round of the 2014 bantam draft. He also attends the Yale Hockey Academy. . . . Tip of the hat to Andy Johnson (@AndyJohnsonB5Q) for the tweet.
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Dwight Jaynes, a veteran sports journalist on the Portland scene, was carrying a suitcase down some stairs in his home recently. He fell before he got to the bottom, banging his head against a wall in the process. . . . His first-person account of what followed is well worth reading. It’s right here. . . . As he writes, he’d rather have broken a leg.
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THE COACHING GAME:

The AHL’s Iowa Wild made a coaching change on Tuesday, with John Torchetti replacing Kurt Kleinendorst. . . . Torchetti, who had previously coached the Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate when it was in Houston, spent last season as head coach of the KHL’s CSKA Moscow. . . . Iowa was 2-10-0 at the time of the change.
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TUESDAY'S GAME:

In Spokane, F Rourke Chartier scored twice to help the Kelowna Rockets beat the Chiefs, 4-3. . . . Rourke leads the WHL with 20 goals. His 20th goal, at 9:18 of the third period, gave the Rockets a 4-2 lead. . . . F Adam Helewka, with his 11th, got the Chiefs to within one at 18:14. . . . Kelowna F Nick Merkley, who leads the WHL scoring race, had two assists. He is No. 1 in assists (29) and points (36). . . . Chartier has 34 points. . . . Rockets D Jesse Lees had two assists. . . . The Chiefs got two goals from F Riley Whittingham, who now has four. . . . Chiefs F Liam Stewart had two assists. . . . The Rockets (18-1-1) are 8-0-1 in their last nine. . . . The Chiefs are 8-6-3. . . . The Rockets were without D Madison Bowey and F Tyson Baillie, both of whom played for the WHL in the Super Series game in Brandon. . . . The Chiefs announced prior to the game that their players will wear CH decals on their helmets for the remainder of this season. Cole Hamblin, a defenceman, played for the Chiefs in 2010-12. Hamblin died of cancer a week ago. He was 21. . . . During last night's pregame warmup, Chiefs captain Jason Fram and Stewart wore No. 6 jerseys with Hamblin on the nameplate in honour of their former teammate.
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Why the hell is Connor McDavid fighting?
— Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) November 12, 2014

Gow decides to end his WHL career

F Michal Řepík (Vancouver, 2005-08) has signed a one-year contract with the Lahti Pelicans (Finland, Liiga). Last season, with Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL), he had 12 points, eight of them goals, in 51 games. . . .
F Vladimir Dolnik (Everett, 2011-12) has signed a tryout contract with Kitzbühel (Austria, Inter-National-League). Last season, with Banská Bystrica U20 (Slovakia, U20 Extraliga), he had 10 points, including five goals, in eight games. He also was pointless in 19 games with Banská Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga), and had three goals and three assists in 16 games with Detva (Slovakia, 1. Liga). . . .
D Kenton Smith (Calgary, 1995-2000) has signed a one-year contract with the Swindon Wildcats (England, Premier). Last season, with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite), he had 14 points, including five goals, in 41 games. Smith signed with Swindon to be closer to his family in Cardiff, Wales.
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The Spokane Chiefs have taken something of a roster hit with the news that D Reid Gow has decided not to return for his 20-year-old season.
Gow, who is from Killarney, Man., also was the team captain. The 16th overall selection in the 2009 bantam draft, he played four seasons with the Chiefs. Last season, he had 62 points, including 56 assists in 65 games. Only four defencemen finished with more points, while he was the Chiefs’ third-leading scorer, behind F Mitch Holmberg and F Mike Aviani, both of whom were 20 last season.
In 229 regular-season games, Gow had 146 points, including 129 assists.
“I have spoken with Reid numerous times over the summer and he has informed me that he does not want to play in the WHL for his overage year,” Tim Speltz, the Chiefs’ general manager, said in a news release. “Reid said he has lost his desire to compete and does not have the drive to play in this league. He has decided to stay home and be close to family and friends.
“As an organization, we hope Reid reconsiders, but at this time, it is important for us to be prepared to move forward without him. He was a huge part of our team last year, but we understand the commitment and dedication it takes for a player to play at this level of competition.
"Although I do not agree with Reid's decision, our organization must accept and respect it. I will continue to have communication with him, but I am not confident any change in his decision is imminent."
The Chiefs’ roster now is down to three 20-year-olds -- F Connor Chartier, F Marcus Messier and F Liam Stewart.
Not that long ago, the Chiefs had six 20s on their roster, but Gow now is out of the picture, while D Cole Wedman was dealt to the Moose Jaw Warriors and F Carter Proft has signed with the Kassel Huskies (Germany, DEL).
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You may be aware that there has been a huge hue and cry in the U.S., over comments made by talking head Stephen A. Smith on an ESPN yap fest last week. It all had to do with the two-game suspension issued by the NFL to Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice following an incident of domestic abuse.
Smith, who gives all of us a good reason not to watch those talk shows, spoke without thinking, as he is wont to do.
Anyway . . . Cathal Kelly of The Globe and Mail takes a good look at that situation right here.
Meanwhile, Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post makes sure that she’s not on Smith’s Christmas card list with this piece right here. When Jenkins got through with Smith, he was more done than a Christmas turkey.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The junior B Nelson Leafs, who play in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, have lost their head coach before they played even one game with him behind their bench. . . . Matt Hughes, who was hired in May, resigned on the weekend and now is with the Kelowna-based Pursuit of Excellence. . . . Bruce Fuhr of the Nelson Daily has more right here.
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Shayne Toporowski (Prince Albert, 1991-95) is the new head coach of the Worcester State Lancers. Toporowski, 38, takes over from John Guiney, who resigned after 22 seasons as head coach. . . . Jennifer Toland of the Worcester Telegram has more right here.
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Former NHL D Todd Gill has signed on with the Adirondack Flames as an assistant coach. The Flames are the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. . . . Gill had been the head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for three seasons. However, he was dumped after last season, when his side blew a 3-0 lead to the Peterborough Petes in a first-round playoff series. . . . In Adirondack, he’ll work alongside head coach Ryan Huska, formerly of the Kelowna Rockets.
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I'm more & more appreciative to have lived when Terry Fox was alive. As @Taggart7 said, his birthday – today – should be a Canadian holiday.
— Adam Proteau (@Proteautype) July 28, 2014

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Hockey and smokeless tobacco. . . . Desjardins to Canucks?

D Cody Carlson (Medicine Hat, Regina, Prince George, 2006-12) has signed a one-year contract with Peiting (Germany, Oberliga). Last season, with Strasbourg (France, Ligue Magnus), he had 18 points, including four goals, in 22 games. . . .
F Jakub Langhammer (Spokane, 2002-04) has signed a one-year contract with Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, DEL2). Last season, with Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had six points, four of them goals, in 33 games. On loan to Slavia Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had five points, including four goals, in 10 games.
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Tony Gwynn, one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball History, died this week at the age of 54.
He had fought a long battle with cancer, something he blamed on a smokeless tobacco habit.
Of course, chewing tobacco -- or using smokeless tobacco or snus -- has long been popular in baseball circles, although in recent years there has been a serious movement away from it.
However, because it has over the years been so associated with baseball, you might not see it as a hockey problem.
Well, you’d be wrong.
Randy Turner of the Winnipeg Free Press wrote a story in December that should be mandatory reading for all parents of junior hockey players or aspiring junior hockey players. (Turner’s story, headlined Hockey’s Disgusting Little Habit, is right here.)
In that story, Turner reported that half the players in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League were regular users. So were 40 per cent of the U of Manitoba Bisons and 40 per cent of the Transcona Railer Express of the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League.
This is rather startling when one considers the damage that can be done by this habit. If you don’t believe it, just go to Google and find a story or two about Tony Gwynn, a terrific baseball player, and an even better human being, who is gone far too soon.
Yes, there are users in the WHL, too. I don’t know what the percentage is, but if it’s 50 per cent in the MJHL, it would seem to be a safe bet that it’s in double figures in the WHL.
The WHL came out against all tobacco products a few years ago, and its rule against such products is posted in all dressing rooms. It reads:
“The WHL does not permit the use of tobacco products (including chewing tobacco) at any WHL events. This includes all practices, game situations and travel to and from games.”
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Adam Proteau of The Hockey News also has written about hockey and its smokeless tobacco problem. That column is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The game of musical chairs NHL style took another turn on Friday with the news that Willie Desjardins turned down an offer to become head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Matthew Sekeres of Vancouver radio station Team 1040 AM tweeted Friday afternoon: "Was just told Desjardins spurned #Pens b/c offer was for 2 years only, no authority to hire own assts. Now expected to be hired by #Canucks."
There was immediate speculation that should the Vancouver Canucks hire Desjardins, he might be interested in having Mike Johnston, the GM/head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, as an assistant coach.
However, I’m thinking that Johnston won’t leave the Winterhawks for anything less than an NHL head-coaching position, not when you consider the freedom that he gets to run the Portland on-ice operation. Johnston has taken the Winterhawks to four-straight WHL finals and you know that owner Bill Gallacher is looking after his guy.
Then again . . . would you rather fly charter or ride a bus?
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Jeff Brown, a former NHL defenceman, is the new head coach of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s. Brown had been general manager and head coach of the Indiana Ice, who are the USHL champions for 2013-14. . . . Brown played 747 NHL regular-season games over 13 seasons. That followed four seasons with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves. . . . Brown takes over from Chris Byrne, who had been GM and head coach. Byrne left to scout for the Los Angeles Kings. . . . Pat Higgins, the assistant GM, has since been promoted to GM.
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The Central league’s Denver Cutthroats have signed Brad Smyth as their director of hockey operations and head coach. He had been working as the team’s general manager and assistant coach. . . . Derek Armstrong, who was the head coach last season, now is the Cutthroats’ president and general manager. . . . The Cutthroats reached the CHL final last season for the first time in franchise history.
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Roy Sommer will be back for another season as head coach of the Worcester Sharks, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. He is preparing for his 19th season in the Sharks organization, his 17th as the head coach of the NHL team’s top developmental club. . . . David Cunniff won’t return for a 13th season as an assistant or associate coach with San Jose’s top developmental team. . . . According to a Worcester news release: “Charlie Townsend will return for a second season as the Worcester Sharks’ video coaching assistant, while development coaches Mike Ricci, Bryan Marchment, Corey Schwab, and Dirk Graham will all have a continued presence in Worcester during the 2014-15 season.”
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The Kelowna Rockets have placed F Marcus Mitchell on their protected list. Mitchell is a 1998-born player from Kelowna who played last season with the Midget Elite 15 team at the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna. He had 34 points, including 11 goals, in 37 games. . . . The Portland Winterhawks have added F Ezekiel (Zeke) Estrada, 16, to their protected list. A native of Homer, Alaska, Estrada headed south at the age of 10 to pursue a career in hockey. He played last season with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings midget AAA team, putting up 46 points, including 25 goals, in 18 games. . . . Mitchell and Estrada are being  advised by EA Sports Management. . . .

D Matt Thomas, 19, isn’t likely to be back with the Kamloops Blazers, who have dropped him from their protected list. Thomas, from Calgary, has seven assists in 132 career regular-season games. He had four assists in 55 games after being acquired last season from the Kootenay Ice. The Ice acquired F Tim Bozon and D Landon Cross, both 19 at the time, from the Blazers for Thomas, F Collin Shirley, 17, a 2014 third-round bantam draft pick and a fifth-round pick in 2015. . . . The Lethbridge Hurricanes are expected to announce a new deal with a local radio station at a Monday afternoon news conference. The Hurricanes and 94.1 CJOC didn’t renew their contract after last season. . . . F Luke Bertolucci, 19, of the Edmonton Oil Kings was involved in a BCHL trade on Friday. His junior A rights, along with future considerations, went from Salmon Arm to the Merritt Centennials, with the Silverbacks getting F Logan Mick, 19. Mick is the son of Troy Mick, the Silverbacks’ governor, president and GM. Logan spent last season with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.
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#WHL Giants talking with former #Canuck Tim Hunter about coach job, but also with ex-Americans boss Jim Hiller now as well. #Staytuned
— Steve Ewen (@SteveEwen) June 20, 2014

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.