Chase to Russians? . . . Barzal on crutches . . . An ECAC coach loses it

F Adam Řehák (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) has signed for the rest of this season with Nice (France, Division 1). Last season, with Meran/Merano (Italy, Inter-National-League), he had seven goals and five assists in 12 games; he also had 29 points, including 11 goals, in 29 games with Cracovia Krakow (Poland, Ekstraliga). . . .
F Toni Rajala (Brandon, 2009-10) has been released by Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL) by mutual agreement. He had 13 points, three of them goals, in 21 games. . . .
G Barry Brust (Spokane, Calgary, 2000-04) signed a contract through the end of 2015-16 with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). Brust exercised an NHL opt-out clause to get released from Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL) last week. With Zagreb, he had a 2.15 GAA and a .933 save precentage in 19 games. . . .
D Shawn Belle (Regina, Tri-City, 2000-05) signed for the rest of this season with Düsseldorf (Germany, DEL). Last season, with Färjestad Karlstad (Sweden SHL), he had three goals and three assists in 39 games. . . .
D David Hájek (Spokane, 1998-99) signed a contract through Dec. 31 with Bad Nauheim (Germany, DEL2). The club has the option to extend the deal through the rest of the season. Last season, with Dresdner Eislöwen (Germany, DEL2), he had three goals and 22 assists in 42 games. . . .
F Justin Taylor (Medicine Hat, Red Deer, 1999-2001, 2003-04) has signed a contract through the end of this season with Mörrum (Sweden, Division 1). Last season, with Sterzing/Vipiteno (Italy, Serie A), he had three assists in six games.

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With apologies to Blackie Sherrod, we're scattershooting on a Monday night, while watching the WHL and a touring pack of Russians play in Saskatoon. . . .

1. The Russians won the game, 3-2, but not before a shootout that lasted 11 rounds. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has a game story right here.
2. F Greg Chase, who is waiting for the Calgary Hitmen to trade him, played for the WHL against the Russians last night in Saskatoon. There is no truth to the rumour that Calgary GM Mike Moore was in Saskatoon trying to trade Chase to the Russians.
3. Is it true that the only way U.S. fans could watch last night's Super Series game was to fork over $8 and watch via Neulion? All the while, of course, Canadian fans were watching on Sportsnet. You really have to wonder when the American franchises and their fans will start to be treated as equals by the WHL.
4. Attendance in Saskatoon last night was announced at 5,383. As of Monday afternoon, about 3,700 tickets had been sold for tonight's Super Series game in Brandon.
5. D Austin Madaisky picked up five points in two weekend games and now is the AHL-Springfield Falcons' leading scorer, with 10 points. Madaisky, 22, played in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers and you've got to think he's about due to get a look from the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.
6. After a two-day break, the WHL schedule resumes tonight with the Kelowna Rockets in Spokane to meet the Chiefs. The Rockets will be without F Tyson Baillie and D Madison Bowey, both of whom played for the WHL against the Russians last night in Saskatoon. . . . The Subway Super Series continues tonight in Brandon.
7. The Rockets are the hottest thing since summer in the Okanagan. They are 17-1-1 overall and riding a 7-0-1 streak.
8. If you go by winning percentage, 14 of the WHL’s 22 teams are above .500 at this point in the season. . . . If you go by wins and losses, that number is at 11.
9. Unless I missed it, the WHL hasn’t acknowledged that there seem to have been issues with its website practically all season long. Do you think perhaps no one has told them?
10. Today is the 11th day of the 11th month, meaning it is the day we stop to remember our veterans and to thank those who continue to serve in our military and on our behalf all over the world. . . . If you haven’t already seen this right here, it’s a story I wrote about Hick Abbott, a giant of a man and a war hero after whom the since-retired Abbott Cup is named. . . . He also was among the 2014 inductees into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in Regina.
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With two injured goaltenders healthy again, the Portland Winterhawks have returned G Michael Bullion to the NAHL's Wenatchee, Wash., Wild. In four appearances with Portland, Bullion is 2-2-0/3.22/.900. . . . He joined the Winterhawks with Brendan Burke and Adin Hill both injured. They are healthy again, so the Winterhawks moved out Bullion and Bolton Pouliot, 20. Pouliot, who went from the Kamloops Blazers to Portland, was released last week. . . .

The Kamloops Blazers might be without two veteran defencemen when they play host to the Spokane Chiefs on Friday. The Blazers had neither Josh Connolly nor Brady Gaudet in their lineup on Saturday when they lost 4-3 in OT to the Winterhawks in Portland. . . . Both defenders sat out with undisclosed injuries. . . . Kamloops will have F Jake Kryski, 16, back in its lineup as he has returned from the U-17 World Hockey Challenge. He's got 11 points, including five goals, in 16 games. In Kryski's last game, the Blazers beat the host Tri-City Americans, 2-0. Since then, the Blazers are 0-3-2. . . .

D Evan Wardley of the Seattle Thunderbirds is awaiting word from the WHL office on what will be his second suspension in less than a month. Wardley was hit with a seven-game suspension for a headshot major during a game against the Winterhawks in Portland on Oct. 11. On Saturday, Wardley was ejected from a game in Saskatoon with the Blades for a checking-from-behind incident. . . . The Thunderbirds are 1-1-0 on an East Division swing that continues Wednesday in Moose Jaw. . . .

The Red Deer Rebels have released F Cole Chorney, 18, who is expected to play in the AJHL. Chorney, from Beaumont, Alta., had 11 points, including six goals, in 58 games with the Rebels last season. This season, he had one assist in six games as he had trouble getting into the lineup. . . .

G Zach Sawchenko has started each of the Moose Jaw Warriors' past six games. He won't make it seven. Sawchenko suffered an injury to his right leg late in the third period of a 4-2 loss to the Tigers in Medicine Hat on Saturday. . . . He is expected to be out for at least week. . . . G Justin Paulic is expected to start against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Wednesday. . . .

On Sept. 23, the Calgary Hitmen traded F Pavel Padakin, a 20-year-old Ukrainian, to the Regina Pats for a third-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft. Last season, Padakin had 54 points, including 27 goals, in 66 games. . . . On Nov. 4, the Brandon Wheat Kings traded F Richard Nejezchleb, a 20-year-old Czech, to the Tri-City Americans for two third-round bantam draft picks, one in 2015 and the other in 2017. Last season, Nejezchleb had 57 points, including 32 goals, in 66 games. . . . Perhaps all of that explains why Brandon's Kelly McCrimmon is the WHL's best general manager. As a former WHL general manager once told me: "I wouldn't buy a used car from him." . . .
 
On the weekend, Cody Nickolet tweeted: “Mathew Barzal roaming around on crutches. Have heard the diagnosis of ‘a couple of weeks’ is very optimistic. Tough news if that's true.” . . . Barzal was the No. 1 selection by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. . . . If what Nickolet heard is correct, you have to wonder if Barzal will be back before Christmas. The Thunderbirds have four games left on an East Division tour that continues Wednesday in Moose Jaw. All told, Seattle has 15 games remaining before the 10-day Christmas break, with eight of those at home and eight of them inside the U.S. Division. . . . Barzal has 18 points, including seven goals, in 16 games. Last season, his first in the WHL, he had 54 points, 14 of them goals, in 59 games. . . . Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds should have D Shea Theodore, 19, back in their lineup on Wednesday in Moose Jaw. He was returned to them by the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks over the weekend. Theodore played five games with the Ducks’ AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, scoring three times and adding two assists. . . . He played for the WHL in the Super Series game last night in Saskatoon. . . .

Former WHL D Wil Tomchuk, 20, is back with the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Tomchuk was released last week when the Prince George Cougars acquired G Jared Rathjen, 20, from the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . The Oil Barons were at the maximum of six 20-year-olds and to make room for Tomchuk they dealt G Jesse Gordichuk to the Olds Grizzlys. Gordichuk had requested a trade -- see, it doesn’t only happen in the WHL! . . . Tomchuk played with the Oil Barons in 2011-12 before moving on to the Tri-City Americans and then to Prince George. . . .

Things got a bit heated late in an NCAA hockey game between Cornell and Quinnipiac on Saturday. Yes, some bad words were spoken. We don’t see this kind of thing in the WHL these days, not even in the interests of trying to sell tickets. Too bad! . . . Chris Dilks has more right here. (This one comes with a language warning!) . . . Later on Monday, Cornell head coach Mike Schafter issued an apology; he also drew a one-game suspension from the ECAC.
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Honored to attend a fitting tribute to @chamblin6 and his life today.God has just acquired the playing rights to a great player #cancersucks
— Garth Mitchell (@GMitch61) November 11, 2014

Catching up . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Marek Kalus (Spokane, Brandon, 2010-13) signed a tryout deal with Cracovia Krakow (Poland, Ekstraliga) after being released from a tryout with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had two assists in eight games during the tryout. Earlier this season, he had four assists in 12 games with Dukla Trencin (Slovakia, Extraliga). . . .
F Gilbert Brulé (Vancouver, 2002-06) signed for the rest of this season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Russia, KHL). This season, he had six goals and two assists in eight games with Portland (AHL). . . .
D Jim Vandermeer (Red Deer, 1997-2001) signed a one-year extension with Kloten (Switzerland, NL A). At the time of the signing, he had eight points, one of them a goal, in 24 games. . . .
F Brett McLean (Tacoma/Kelowna, Brandon, 1994-99) signed a one-year extension with Lugano (Switzerland, NL A). This season, he has 24 points, 12 of them goals, in 25 games. That left him third in the NL A scoring race. . . .
F Marcin Kolusz (Vancouver, 2003-04) signed for the rest of the season with Tychy (Poland, Ekstraliga) after being released by Krynica for financial reasons. This season with Krynica, he had 27 points, eight of them goals, in 19 games. He was fourth in league scoring at the time of his release. Krynica also released three other players, including its leading scorer. . . .
F Clarke Breitkreuz (Regina, Prince George, 2008-10) has been loaned to Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg (Germany, DEL) by Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, Oberliga). This season with Löwen, he had 34 points, including 26 assists, in 13 games. He was leading the team in assists and points. . . .
F Adam Rehak (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) signed for one year plus an option with Cracovia Krakow (Poland, Ekstraliga). Rehak started the season with Meran/Merano (Italy, Austria Nationalliga), putting up 12 points, including seven goals, in 12 games. He Rehak wanted to move closer to hometown of Ostrava. . . .
F Justin Maylan (Moose Jaw, Prince George, Prince Albert, 2007-12) signed for the rest of the season with Herning (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). This season, Maylan had one assists in three games with South Carolina (ECHL) and was pointless in four games with Oklahoma City (AHL).
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You may be aware that 10 former NHL players have filed a class-action lawsuit against the league, the claim being that not enough has been done to protect players from brain injuries.
Eddie Pells of The Associated Press examines that situation right here.
You can bet that the WHL and its owners/operators are paying attention.
Earlier this year, after the NFL had settled a similar lawsuit brought against it by former players, I asked a legal expert if, in his opinion, hockey leagues were open to such action.
His response:
“I think hockey is in a different position than football because there are no allegations that the sport was sitting on information and not sharing it with players. Hockey was first out of the starting blocks with its baseline neurological testing program in 1997-98. “Hockey has not, in my view, had the sort of radical re-writing of the rulebook that the NFL recently undertook and so has not done enough to remove the unnecessary risks from the game.
“I think there will be hockey lawsuits (yeah, there’s already Boogaard but this case is singularly unique) in the NHL.
“I think where the CHL/WHL is vulnerable is that legally minors can’t consent and courts are taking a harsher and narrower view to inherent risks to the game (i.e. Could the game survive without fighting? That is the ultimate test of whether or not a risk is inherent. ‘Are the penalties for headshots sufficient to disincentivize teams, coaches and players? Or does the league consider it part of the game?’) especially now that teams are being bought and sold for nearly $10 million.”
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Was Tuesday’s deal between the NHL and Rogers Communications the death knell for TSN? And maybe for CBC-TV, too? . . . Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun opines right here.
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Over at the National Post, Scott Stinson writes: “Rogers will collect all of the revenues from the advertisements and sponsorships that are sold on Hockey Night in Canada, even the versions of it that appear on CBC. . . . The executives could talk up the partnership all they want, but it is Rogers that is piloting the ship, and the CBC trailing behind in its dingy. Four years from now, the rope could be cut.”
Stinson’s complete column is right here.
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F Henrik Nyberg, 19, has left the Kelowna Rockets and returned to his home in Danderyd, Sweden. Last season, Nyberg had 17 points, including eight goals, in 54 games. This season, he had three assists in 21 games. . . . "Henrik has come to the realization that playing in North America is not in his future and he wants to move on with his life," Rockets' head coach Ryan Huska said in a news release.
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A few things that occurred while Taking Note was in darkness . . .
The Kamloops Blazers traded F Aaron Macklin, 18, to the Prince George Cougars for F Carson Bolduc, 17, on Tuesday. . . . Bolduc, who is from Salmon Arm, B.C., had left the Cougars and asked for a trade. He had seven points in 54 games last season, and had two goals in 17 games this season. . . . Bolduc played bantam in Kamloops before being selected by the Cougars in the Macklin, from High River, Alta., had seven points, three of them goals, in 20 games this season. Last season, he had four points, one of them a goal, in 62 games.
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The Victoria Royals made two trades, the first one announced immediately following a 2-1 victory over the Blazers in Kamloops on Nov. 19.
In that deal, the Royals sent F Luke Harrison, 18, to the Blazers for a 2014 sixth-round bantam draft pick.
Harrison, from West Kelowna, was in his third season with the Royals. In 92 games, he had six points, including four goals. This season, he had three goals in 23 games with the Royals.
The next day, the Royals announced the acquisition of Swedish forward Axel Blomqvist, 18, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Royals also received an undisclosed conditional 2016 bantam draft pick, while surrendering fourth- and eighth-round selections in the 2014 draft.
The 6-foot-6, 212-pound Blomqvist had 13 points, eight of them goals, in 19 games with the Hurricanes this season. He becomes the Royals’ second import, alongside G Patrik Polivka. Last season, as a freshman, Blomqvist had 33 points, seven of them goals, in 59 games.
Undrafted, Blomqvist went to camp with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and later signed a three-year NHL contract.
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Jim Swanson, who spent a number of years covering the WHL and the Prince George Cougars for the Prince George Citizen, has signed on as the general manager of baseball’s Victoria HarbourCats, who play in the West Coast League. . . . Swanson is a long-time baseball guy and was heavily involved in the Prairie League, a now-defunct independent league that had franchises in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, North Dakota and Minnesota. . . . He also has been heavily involved in baseball in Prince George and was a major push behind the World Baseball Challenge, the 2009, 2011 and 2013 editions having featured tremendous international competition. . . . He was the manager of the Prince George Axemen, who won the 2012 Canadian senior championship. . . . The HarbourCats are preparing for their second season in the WCL.
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The Vancouver Giants dealt F Scott Cooke, 19, to the Moose Jaw Warriors for a sixth-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. Cooke, who has yet to play this season after breaking his right leg in the exhibition season, is from White Rock, B.C. He was back practising this week so his return should be imminent. Cooke had one assist in 40 games last season, after putting up a goal and two helpers in 34 games in 2011-12.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings acquired G Christopher Tai, 18, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a conditional eighth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. The Wheat Kings needed some depth behind Jordan Papirny, as Curtis Honey has been out with an undisclosed injury. At the time of the trade, Papirny had made nine straight starts, most of them with an emergency backup on the bench. Tai became expendable in Lethbridge after the Hurricanes acquired G Teagan Sacher, who turns 19 on Dec. 1, from the Regina Pats to work in support of starter Corbin Boes, 20, who was acquired from Brandon over the summer.
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As all are aware, Nov. 22 marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK. . . . Right here is the column written by the legendary Jimmy Breslin following the assassination. This is one of the most remarkable newspaper pieces I have ever read. You won’t be wasting your time by giving it a look.
And right here is a piece in which Breslin explains the circumstances involved in his decision to write that particular column.


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Thomson leaves Blazers; Hurricanes get Bell

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Adam Rehak (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) has been released by Meran/Merano (Italy, Austria Nationalliga). He had 12 points, including seven goals, in 12 games.
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D Jordan Thomson, the fourth overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft, has left the Kamloops Blazers and returned to his home in Wawanesa, Man., which is located just southeast of Brandon.
"Everything is all right," Thomson told me Tuesday evening. "(I) just need to clear my head."
Thomson has seven assists in 20 games this season. Last season, as a 16-year-old rookie, he had 14 points, two of them goals, in 47 games.
Earlier in the day, the Blazers issued a news release that stated Thomson had returned home "for an undetermined time due to a personal matter."
“At this point it’s all about Jordan," head coach Dave Hunchak told Adam Williams of the Kamloops Daily News last night. "We support him and he’s gone home in the best interests of him. We’re here for him 110 per cent and are going to support him.”
Hunchak said the team is taking a "week-to-week" approach with Thomson.
His departure leaves the Blazers with six defenceman on their 21-man roster.
The Blazers (6-12-3) are at home to the Medicine Hat Tigers (14-3-3) tonight.
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First, the Lethbridge Hurricanes added a victory; then they added a defenceman.
After winning 5-3 in Moose Jaw to end a 10-game losing skid last night, the Hurricanes announced that they have acquired D Tyler Bell, 19, from the Warriors for a third-round 2014 bantam draft pick.
It seems that the general managers, Alan Millar of the Warriors and Lethbridge's Brad Robson, struck up a conversation during the game.
“It was discussed during the game and looked at seriously in the second intermission and then we completed it right afterwards,” Millar told Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald.
The Hurricanes have been playing with six defencemen since last week when D Ryan Pilon left the team and returned home to await a trade.
The Warriors acquired Bell last season as part of a deal in which D Joel Edmundson moved to the Kamloops Blazers. Bell, from Regina, has five points, one of them a goal, in 23 games this season. In 146 career games, he has 26 points, including five goals.
Bell, who is expected to join his new club Thursday, will bring a physical presence to the Lethbridge back end.
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The Red Deer Rebels have promoted Shaun Sutter to assistant general manager and director of player personnel. He had been working as the Rebels' senior scout since 2011. . . . Sutter played four WHL seasons (Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Calgary, 1997-2001) and was a fourth-round pick by the Calgary Flames in the 1998 NHL draft. He played eight seasons of pro hockey and also worked as an assistant coach with the Regina Pats (2009-11). . . . He is the son of former NHL player and coach Brian Sutter.
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D Dalton Thrower, the captain of the Vancouver Giants, was on the ice Tuesday. Thrower has missed two games after taking a headshot from F Mitch Moroz of the Edmonton Oil Kings on Nov. 5. Thrower was wearing a non-contact jersey at yesterday's practice. It isn't known if he will play Friday against the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province also reports that F Tyler Benson, the first overall selection in the 2013 bantam draft, skated with the Giants yesterday. Benson, who plays for the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna, is scheduled to make his WHL debut on Saturday against the visiting Tri-City Americans. . . . Andy Neal reports on his blog, Neal's Notes, that the Victoria Royals were missing five players when they practised on Tuesday. D Joe Hicketts, D Jordan Fransoo and D Keegan Kanzig didn't skate, nor did F Jack Walker and F Brandon Magee. All are believed to be injured with the exception of Magee. Head coach Dave Lowry told Neal that Magee was given a "maintenance day." . . . The Royals are home to the Seattle Thunderbirds for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader. . . . D Eric Roy may not play for the Brandon Wheat Kings tonight when they meet the visiting Saskatoon Blades. Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that Roy was injured while blocking a shot on Monday and didn't practice Tuesday. G Curtis Honey, who has missed five games with an undisclosed injury, also sat out practice.
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TUESDAY:
In Prince Albert, the Raiders ended a three-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Raiders G Nick McBride, making his first career start at home, stopped 28 shots. . . . Blades G Alex Moodie, making his fifth straight start, stopped 42 shots. . . . Saskatoon D Ayrton Nikkel returned after missing seven games with an undisclosed injury. . . . Earlier in the day, the Raiders removed F Lance Yaremchuk, 17, from their roster. A native of Prince Albert, he had three points, including a goal, in eight games. He was a sixth-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . .

In Moose Jaw, the Lethbridge Hurricanes snapped their 10-game losing skid with a 5-3 victory over the Warriors. . . . F Axel Blomqvist scored the Hurricanes' first three goals, the third one forging a 3-3 tie at 16:55 of the second period. . . . F Russ Maxwell broke the tie at 17:24. . . . Blomqvist has eight goals. . . . F Josh Uhrich scored his fourth goal of the season for the Warriors and also added an assist. He has one goal in each of his last four games. . . . Moose Jaw lost F Jack Rodewald to a broken jaw in the second period. According to Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald he "was injured in a collision midway through the second period. . . . He returned to the bench, but left and did not return." Rodewald went for X-rays and his jaw was found to be broken in two places. He is to have surgery today. Rodewald, who was playing in his 150th career game, had career highs in goals (9), assists (8) and points (17) in 24 games. . . .

In Prince George, F Miles Koules scored twice to lead the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 6-1 victory over the Cougars. . . . Koules has six goals this season. . . . The Tigers scored the game's last five goals, four of them in the third period. . . . The Cougars were playing their fourth game in five nights in four different cities. . . . Tigers G Daniel Wapple stopped 39 shots, 18 of them in the second period. . . . Medicine Hat D Matt Staples, who went into the game with two assists in 17 games, had his first WHL goal and an assist. He's a sophomore from Coppell, Texas. . . . Prince George D Joseph Carvalho left late in the second period after taking a shot high, perhaps off his face. He didn't return. . . . The Tigers are 7-0-1 in their last eight games. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks got five first-period goals from five different scorers en route to a 10-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Winterhawks, who lost two home games in a row during parent's weekend, now have won two straight. . . . Seattle now has lost five in a row. . . . After the first period, the Thunderbirds had been outscored 15-4 in their last four periods in Portland. . . . F Paul Bittner led Portland with his first WHL three-goal game and his first four-point outing. He wound up plus-5, as did D Derrick Pouliot, who had a goal and an assist. . . .Portland F Nic Petan had a goal and two assists. He leads the WHL in assists (31) and is second in points (43). He is eight points behind Spokane F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Portland twice has scored 10 goals against Seattle this season. On Sept. 28, the Winterhawks beat visiting Seattle, 10-4. . . . Seattle D Evan Wardley completed his four-game WHL suspension by sitting out this game. . . . Prior to the game, the Thunderbirds released F Erik Benoit, 20. That leaves them with F Seth Swenson and F Mitch Elliot as their 20-year-olds, meaning there is room for one more. Benoit had eight points, three of them goals, in 19 games with Seattle. . . . The Winterhawks are alone atop the overall standings, three points ahead of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Everett Silvertips, both of whom are 14-3-3.
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From Lethbridge G Chris Tai (@chrisstopper95), who turned aside 36 shots and was the game's first star as the Hurricanes ended a 10-game losing skid: "So that's what winning feels like."
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From Ryan Bittner (@17Bittner): "So proud of me little big brother @unclebittsy_7 and getting his first hat trick in the WHL! #SoProud"
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From Prince George F Zach Pochiro (@Z_Pochiro): “Shoutout to @joecarvalho27 for blocking a shot with his face today. Kids a warrior #getbetter”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
Might the KHL be poised to move into Finland?
The Helsinki newspaper Ilta-Sanomat is reporting in its Friday edition that Hartwall Areena in Helsinki has been sold to a pair of Russians, who are reportedly childhood friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that Jokerit Helsinki will withdraw from SM-Liiga to join the KHL.
There isn’t any mention of when this move might occur, and both leagues already have released their 2013-14 schedules.
Still, a news conference has been called for today (4:30 p.m., in Helsinki, which is 6:30 a.m. Pacific).
Another Helsinki newspaper, Iltalehti, reports that it is rumoured that Jokerit has been sold to Gennadi Timtshenko, the president of SKA St. Petersburg. Hartwall Areena is the home of Jokerit.
The purchasers of the Areena are said to be Russian brothers Arkadi and Boris Rotenberg.
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The moves for today . . .
F Colton Yellow Horn (Lethbridge, Tri-City, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with Alba Volan Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 36 goals and 22 assists in 48 games with the Ontario Reign (ECHL) and six goals and 12 assists in 28 games with the Manchester Monarchs (AHL) last season. . . .
F Adam Rehak (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) signed a one-year contract with Meran/Merano (Italy, Austria Inter-National-League). He had 17 goals and 19 assists in 22 games with Vitkovice Ostrava U20 (Czech Republic, Extraliga Junior) last season. . . .
F Sean O'Connor (Moose Jaw, 1999-2002) signed a one-year contract with Munich (Germany, DEL). He had 13 goals and eight assists in 34 games with Ingolstadt (Germany, DEL) last season.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Taylor Dakers is the new goaltending coach with the Red Deer Rebels. Dakers played four seasons (2003-07) with the Kootenay Ice and was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2005 draft. He has been the goaltending coach with the Everett Silvertips. Dakers works with World Pro Goaltending in Calgary. . . . With Red Deer, he replaces Brent Belecki.

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The first star in Lethbridge on Wednesday night?
(Photo from Lethbridge Hurricanes' Facebook page)

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Pavel Brendl (Calgary, 1998-2000) signed a one-month contract with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had seven goals and eight assists in 16 games with KalPa Kuopio (Finland, SM-Liiga) and nine goals and one assist in 24 games for Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) last year. Brendl has been without a contract this season and Pardubice is currently going through injury issues.
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D Chad Starling (Kamloops, 1998-2000) had planned on playing hockey again this season. In fact, Starling, 31, had planned on returning to the ECHL, a league in which he played 503 games between 2000 and 2009. But it just didn’t happen. In fact, his career may well be over, amid a bunch of nattering about immigration policies and B-1 and P-1 forms. These days, Starling is at home in Delisle, Sask., where he is working for his family-owned business.
J.P. Hoornstra of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin has the complete story right here and it should be compulsory reading for anyone in the hockey business, especially players at any level.
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JUST NOTES: F Anthony Paskaruk, a seventh-round selection by the Spokane Chiefs in the 2009 bantam draft, has committed to Clarkson University where he will play for the Golden Knights, who play out of Potsdam, N.Y. Paskaruk, 17, is from Airdrie, Alta., and is playing for the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits. . . . The Chiefs have assigned F Cody Nelson, 17, to the MJHL’s Portage Terriers. He had nine penalty minutes in three games. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks have signed D Ben Betker, 17, and he made his WHL debut against the Blazers in Kamloops last night. Betker, who was added to the Winterhawks’ 50-player list in June, had three points in 13 games with the BCHL’s Westside Warriors. Last season, he had 13 points in 38 games with the major midget Kootenay Ice. . . . The Winterhawks also announced that they have moved a Nov. 22 game against the Regina Pats to the Rose Garden. . . .
G Andrey Makarov of the Saskatoon Blades will be in the Russian lineup for the Subway Super Series game in Regina on Nov. 16. Makarov, 18, played last season with the QMJHL’s Lewiston Maineiacs, who folded after the season. . . . F Darian Dziurzynski of the Brandon Wheat Kings is on a ‘tbd’ suspension for the charging major he incurred in a 7-3 victory over the Broncos in Swift Current on Tuesday night. . . .
F Adam Rehak, 19, has left the Medicine Hat Tigers and returned to his native Czech Republic to deal what the teams says is a family issue. However, Rehak’s name no longer appears on the Tigers’ roster on the WHL website and, according to the Tigers’ statistical page, Rehak no longer is on the team. He had four points in 16 games. . . . That leaves the Tigers with one import player — D Patrik Parkkonen of Finland.
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There were a couple of monster deals made in the OHL on Wednesday as the Windsor Spitfires unloaded a couple of star players. The Spitfires, who won the 2009 and 2010 Memorial Cups, are hoping to be the host team for the 2014 tournament. The building process for that 2013-14 teams appears to have started.
The Spitfires traded G Jack Campbell, who was selected 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in the NHL’s 2010 draft, to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and F Tomas Kuhnackl to the Niagara IceDogs.
In exchange for Campbell, the Spitfires got D Mackenzie Braid, 18, F Patrick Sieloff, 17, who is with the U.S. National Team Development Program and has committed to Miami U in Ohio, a third-round pick in the 2012 OHL draft, second- and third-round picks in 2013, two second-round selections in 2014 and a second-rounder in 2015.
Campbell had a 3.13 GAA and .906 save percentage in 12 games this season. From Port Huron, Mich., he was the starting goaltender for the U.S. as it won the 2008 and 2009 IIHF U-18 championships and the 2010 World Junior Championship.
In exchange for Kuhnhackl and a second-round pick in the CHL’s 2013 import draft, the Spitfires received F Phillip DiGiuseppe, 18m who is in his first season with the U of Michigan Wolverines, G Jaroslav Pavelka, 18, second-round selections in the 2012, 2014 and the 2015 OHL drafts and a first-round pick in the 2013 import draft.
Kuhnhackl, a 39-goal man last season, is from Germany. He is just back from a knee injury and has four points in four games.
Coincidentally, Kuhnhackl’s parents — his father Erich is generally recognized as the greatest player in German hockey history — were to arrive in Windsor on Friday to visit with their son.
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Four B.C.-based on-ice officials have received IIHF assignments. . . . Referee Matt Kirk of Vancouver will work the Division 1, Group B World championship in Kryncia, Poland, April 15-21. . . . Linesman Kiel Murchison of Surrey has been selected to work the World Junior Championship in Calgary and Edmonton, Dec. 26-Jan. 5. . . . Justin Hull of Burnaby will travel to Brno and Znojmo, Czech Republic, for the U-18 World championship, April 12-22. . . . Referee Trevor Hanson of Langley is scheduled to work the Division 1, Group A U-18 World championship in Piestany, Slovakia, April 11-17.
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In Lethbridge, the Hurricanes snapped a 13-game losing streak — in the first game after an anonymous fan performed an exorcism at centre ice — by beating the Everett Silvertips, 4-3, in a shootout. . . . F Cam Braes, Lethbridge’s third shooter, was the only skater to score in the shootout. . . . The Hurricanes won two of three September games and then lost all 13 games they played in October. . . . Everett F Josh Birkholz scored on a penalty shot to give his side a 3-0 lead at 6:36 of the second period. . . . The Hurricanes pulled even with two PP goals after Everett F Jordyn Boyd was given a major penalty for clipping. . . . Everett took 53 of 99 penalty minutes. . . . The Silvertips, with the flu bug going through their dressing room, had F Ty Mappin and F Carson Samoridny in their lineup. Mappin, 15, was the seventh overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft. He is playing for the midget AAA Red Deer Rebels. Samoridny, 17, has 11 points, including nine goals, in 15 games with the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. . . . Everett next plays Friday in Cranbrook against the Kootenay Ice. That game will feature Silvertips freshman F Ryan Chynoweth, 16, against the team of which his father, Jeff, is president and GM. . . . Trevor Crawley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman has more on that matchup right here. . . .
In Saskatoon, the Blades opened a 4-0 lead early in the third period and went on to beat the Calgary Hitmen, 4-1. . . . F Josh Nicholls scored his 11th goal of the season for the winners, who got 39 saves from G Andrey Makarov. . . . Calgary had won the first two games of what is a six-game road trip. . . . The Hitmen were without F Brady Brassart, who sat out a one-game suspension for a checking-from-behind major one night earlier in Prince Albert. . . .
In Kamloops, F Sven Bartschi had a goal and two assists to help the Portland Winterhawks to a 4-2 victory over the Blazers. . . . Bartschi had missed the previous six games with a hip injury. . . . The Blazers had won four in a row. . . . F Logan McVeigh scored his second goal of the season for Kamloops. Both have come shorthanded. The Blazers have seven shorthanded goals in 15 games, after scoring four all of last season.
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For today’s good read, we go to Yahoo! Sports and a tremendous piece of writing by Nicholas J. Cotsonika. He explores where we are and how we got here in terms of brain injuries, CTE, concussions and all the rest. If you have been following the debate about concussions, you won’t want to miss this piece, which tells the story from all the angles.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Konan helps Tigers conquer Kamloops

Curtis Valk of the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers and Kamloops Blazers
goaltender Taran Kozun get up close and personal during
the first period of Monday’s WHL game.
(Photo by Keith Anderson/Kamloops Daily News)

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor

On a day when right-winger Emerson Etem of the Medicine Hat Tigers played like a barbarian — the WHL’s top gun had a Gordie Howe hat trick — it was defenceman Matthew Konan who delivered the knockout blow to the Kamloops Blazers.
Konan, a 20-year-old defenceman from Tustin, Calif., broke a 4-4 tie at 11:05 of the third period as the Tigers erased a 4-1 deficit and dumped the Blazers 5-4 in front of 3,665 fans at Interior Savings Centre.
The Blazers (4-2-0), coming off a 5-2 victory over the Silvertips in Everett on Saturday night, were full marks for that 4-1 lead, as they dominated the Tigers (5-3-0) for at least 30 minutes.
Konan said the Tigers were “pretty disappointed” in their start.
“We took way too many penalties,” explained Konan, who eats up a lot of minutes on the Tigers’ back end. “We can’t be doing that on the road. We have to keep it simple . . . that’s not our team.”
The Tigers took the game’s first five minor penalties, all before the first period was 18 minutes old. That helped the Blazers to a pair of power-play goals — by Dylan Willick and Chase Schaber — and a 3-1 lead. Colin Smith had also scored for the home boys.
Medicine Hat’s first goal came via Etem, who struck while shorthanded. It was his WHL-leading 12th goal in seven games.
“We figured it out between periods,” Konan said. “We were just saying, ‘Relax. We’re a good team . . . Keep it simple. Play our game. Get that first goal and get some energy, and go from there.’ ”
The Blazers actually got that next goal, with Smith notching his second of the game. However, Smith took a slashing penalty four minutes later and the comeback was on.
“We came out and didn’t take any (penalties) in the second period and that’s what got us back in the game,” Konan stated.
Hunter Shinkaruk, at 12:35, and Adam Rehak, at 18:21, counted on the Medicine Hat power play and the Tigers were right back in this one, with the Blazers on their heels.
Midway through the third period, the Blazers couldn’t clear their zone and Boston Leier took advantage to beat goaltender Taran Kozun, who was making his second WHL start, and tie the game.
Less then a minute later, Konan pounded a rebound past Kozun, 17, for the eventual winner.
The Tigers then turned things over to veteran goaltender Tyler Bunz, who finished with 34 saves, 13 more than Kozun.
“I know we have a young goaltender,” Kamloops head coach Guy Charron said, “but their goaltender was better than ours. What we needed was a couple of saves at key times.”
The Blazers held a 15-5 edge in third-period shots, but couldn’t beat the 19-year-old Bunz.
“He shut the door good,” Konan said. “Even in the first period, those goals weren’t his fault — we broke down. Later, he shut the door for us.”
Charron felt Medicine Hat’s two power-play goals were huge.
“That’s when the momentum changed,” Charron said. “Now we’re in a 4-3 hockey game. And as much as we say the right things, that we want to . . . stick with the program, sometimes it’s too little too late. We have to kill one of those penalties or we need one of the saves.”
The Blazers will travel to Portland for a date with the Winterhawks on Friday and then return home to face the Prince George Cougars on Saturday and the Kelowna Rockets on Sunday.
They likely will play those games without right-winger Jordan DePape who had his left arm in a sling after the game. DePape was involved in the game’s only fight at 1:41 of the second period, and he left with what appeared to be a serious shoulder injury.
DePape has been playing with a wonky shoulder since returning from Penticton, where he played for the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets in the Young Stars tournament. He will be re-evaluated today.
It was the first regular-season fight of Etem’s WHL career — this was his 144th game. He later drew an assist on Shinkaruk’s goal, to complete his first Howe hat trick — goal, assist, fight.
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On Saturday in Everett, the Blazers erased a 2-1 deficit with three straight goals and then never trailed.
Centre Matt Needham scored two power-play goals 2:50 apart late in the second period to give the Blazers a 3-2 lead. Willick also scored twice for the Blazers, while DePape iced it with an empty-netter.
Josh Birkholz and Jesse Muchan scored for Everett.
Cole Cheveldave stopped 17 shots for the Blazers as he improved to 2-0-0. Everett’s Kent Simpson turned aside 33 shots.
JUST NOTES: Last night, the Blazers were 2-for-7 on the power play; the Tigers were 2-for-5. . . . Etem, from Long Beach, Calif., was a first-round selection by the Anaheim Ducks in the NHL’s 2010 draft. . . . At the age of 10, Kamloops RW J.T. Barnett and Etem were teammates on a Los Angeles Jr. Kings team. Also on that team was F Jason Zucker, the WCHA’s rookie of the year with the U of Denver Pioneers last season. . . . The Daily News Three Stars: 1. Konan: A horse on the back end, and the winning goal; 2. Rehak: Czech freshman was in the middle of a lot; 3. Smith: Two goals and solid at both ends.
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