Great news from Ewen . . . Babcock: Road hockey by candlelight? . . . Canucks going to P.G.

#ThanksDave pic.twitter.com/eDS6gcWsiH

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 21, 2015

F Waltteri Hopponen (Everett, 2013-14) signed a two-year-plus-option contract with HPK Hämeenlinna (Finland, Liiga). This season, with the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL), he had two goals and eight assists in 28 games; in 31 games with the Lincoln Stars (USHL), he had four goals and 14 assists. . . .
F Riley Holzapfel (Moose Jaw, 2004-08) signed a one-year contract with Karlskrona (Sweden, SHL). This season, with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL), he had seven goals and six assists in 49 games. Karlskrona won promotion to SHL from Allsvenskan this season.

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The really big news on Wednesday — yes, even bigger than Mike Babcock or David Letterman — came from long-time friend Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province.
It arrived via email:
“Today marks my four-year anniversary of being discharged from GF Strong. I also saw the cancer doctors this morning and I'm now officially four and a half years cancer free.
“I believe that the support Carol-Ann and I have received has been instrumental in what's been achieved to date. Thanks again.
“As a reminder, if you're free on Aug. 5, we're throwing a Ride To Conquer Cancer fundraiser at the Earls on Fir Street. There's a silent auction, plus we get a portion from some drinks and appetizers that night.”
It just doesn’t get any better than that.
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F Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning is the hot story, to date, of these NHL playoffs. Johnson was a free-agent signing by the Lightning after a terrific career with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. Johnson stands 5-foot-8 and has had to overcome that throughout his career. It’s why no NHL team signed him until after his 20-year-old season. Al Murray, the Lightning’s head scout, had a lot to do with that, and Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has more on that right here.
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Meanwhile, Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province talked with Spokane Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz and, yes, the subject was Tampa Bay Lightning F Tyler Johnson. . . . That piece is right here.
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We just witnessed two more days of social media at its best.
You might recall that on Tuesday, free-agent head coach Mike Babcock wasn’t going to Toronto, was negotiating with Buffalo, and perhaps was talking with San Jose, but almost certainly was going to stay in Detroit. Oh, and St. Louis might be interested.
So what happens?
Of course, he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. (The news conference is scheduled for today, which means another day of Twitter exploding.)
This is great news for hockey fans who have long wondered just how much impact a coach can have on a team.
The Leafs have been, well, the Leafs for a long time now. It is going to be interesting to see how much of an impact Babcock has on them. After all, instead of dealing with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, he now has Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. Instead of Niklas Kronwall, he’s got Dion Phaneuf.
You have to think that the Leafs will hold the course with their rebuild, meaning there won’t be any huge free-agent signings in an attempt to speed up the process.
If they are going to contend for the Stanley Cup, they need to find a top-end goaltender and a minute-eating defenceman who will quarterback the PP. Perhaps Morgan Rielly will become capable of filling the latter role, but is there a big-time goaltender on the roster?
Anyway . . . Babcock, who once was fired by the Moose Jaw Warriors, now is by far the highest-paid coach in the NHL. His eight-year deal with Toronto averages out at $6.25 million per season. That is quite a bit more than the man who is No. 2 on the list. Joel Quenneville of the Chicago Blackhawks is paid $2.75 million per season. . . . Babcock spent two seasons (1991-93) in Moose Jaw, going 33-36-3 and 27-42-3. He was dumped after that second season and replaced by Al Tuer, who now is a pro scout for the Florida Panthers. . . . Babcock had been in Detroit for 10 seasons. The only active NHL head coaches who have been in position for more than four seasons are Claude Julien (Boston), Quenneville, Dave Tippett (Arizona) and Jack Capuano (New York Islanders). . . . Julien just completed his eighth season with the Bruins, while Quenneville is in his eighth season with the Blackhawks. Tippett has been the Coyotes’ head coach through seven seasons. Capuano has been the Islanders’ head coach since Nov. 15, 2010. . . . BTW, Babcock spent some of his childhood in Leaf Rapids, Man., which is a couple of slapshots from my hometown of Lynn Lake. Babcock has told stories of Leaf Rapids not having street lights so he and his friends put candles in the snowbanks in order to play road hockey at night. I don’t know about that, but I do know that my first skate every fall was on Eden Lake, which is right by Leaf Rapids. That first ice of the year on Eden Lake was the best I ever skated on.
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Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday, May 22: Kelowna vs. Quebec, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 23: Rimouski vs. Oshawa, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 24: Quebec vs. Oshawa, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 25: Rimouski vs. Kelowna, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 26: Oshawa vs. Kelowna, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 27: Quebec vs. Rimouski, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 28: Tiebreaker, if necessary, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 29: Semifina, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 31: Championship game, TBA
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In the AHL, the host Utica Comets beat the Oklahoma City Barons 1-0 on Wednesday night in Game 7 of a second-round series. . . . The Comets are affiliated with the Vancouver Canucks, the Barons with the Edmonton Oilers. . . . F Alexandre Grenier won it with his fourth goal at 7:11 of the third period. Here’s hoping he gets free Slurpees for life! . . . Utica G Jakob Markstrom stopped 35 shots. . . . Attendance was 3,835. . . . The Comets, under head coach Travis Green, will meet the Grand Rapids Griffins in the Western Conference final. Green, the former Portland Winterhawks assistant GM and assistant coach, is seen as one of the best young coaches in the game. . . . Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill may be the next head coach of the parent Detroit Red Wings. . . . That series, with a 2-3-2 format, opens with games in Utica on Sunday and Monday. . . . The Eastern Conference final features the Manchester Monarchs, under former Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mike Stothers, against the Hartford Wolf Pack of head coach Ken Gernander. The Monarchs are hooked up with the Los Angeles Kings; the Wolf Pack with the New York Rangers. That series opens tonight in Manchester.
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Admit it. There are nights when you lay awake and wonder: What are Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 10 best movies?
Well, Rolling Stone has the list and it’s right here.
Did you know that a studio originally had O.J. Simpson tabbed as the Terminator, and not Arnold? That’s what it says in this story. . . . Check it out, and sleep well.
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THE COACHING GAME:

Jamie Kompon, the general manager and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, will coach at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge later this year. Kompon has been named head coach of one of three Canadian teams that will play in the tournament, a host city and dates for which have yet to be announced. . . . Kompon will be head coach of Canada White. . . . Former Kootenay Ice coach Kris Knoblauch, now the head coach of the OHL’s Erie Otters, will be the head coach of Canada Red, with Marco Pietroniro, the head coach of the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar, running Canada Black. . . . Kompon’s assistant coaches will be Jamie Heward, who is an assistant with the Swift Current Broncos, and Serge Lajoie, the head coach of the Edmonton-based NAIT Ooks. . . . Wade Klippenstein, the Brandon Wheat Kings’ director of scouting, will be involved in team selection as he is Hockey Canada’s western regional scout.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed D Tyler Strath, who was a third-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . The 6-foot-2, 160-pound Strath, who is from Carseland, Alta., had 23 points, four of them goals, in 31 games with the bantam AAA Rocky Mountain Raiders this season. . . .


The Vancouver Canucks and Prince George Cougars announced Wednesday that the NHL team will hold its training camp at the CN Centre in Prince George, Sept. 18-20. . . . Medicals will take place Sept. 17 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, with on-ice work starting in Prince George on Sept. 18. . . . Canucks president Trevor Linden said in a news release that the team is “committed to holding future training camps in communities throughout B.C.” . . . Canucks D Dan Hamhuis is a part-owner of the Cougars.
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In case you've had a bad day pic.twitter.com/yw79sdU7b9

— GuyCodes (@GuyCodes) May 20, 2015

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Johnson a giant with Lightning . . . De Leo takes streak to Kamloops . . . Reinhart closing on Stoll

Is there a better story being written in the NHL this season than the one being penned by F Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning?
A native of Spokane, Johnson played four seasons with the WHL’s Chiefs, who selected him in the 11th round of the 2005 bantam draft.
He was a terrific WHL player, too, putting up 282 points, including 128 goals, in 266 regular-season games. In 2010-11, as a 20-year-old, he finished second in the scoring race, his 115 points leaving him one point behind F Linden Vey of the Medicine Hat Tigers. Johnson led the WHL in goals that season, with 53.
I can remember watching Johnson in his final WHL season and thinking he was as good a centre as I had seen in quite some time. On top of his offensive ability, he was lights out on defence and practically unbeatable in the faceoff circle. He also may have been the WHL’s best penalty-killer at the time.
Tim Speltz, the Chiefs’ general manager, has watched Johnson for a long time.
“Johnny has always exceeded expectations and he's a great person who was always an excellent skater and had an amazing understanding of the game,” Speltz told Taking Note via email. “By the end of his 19-year-old year he gave you the feeling he would find a way to play in the NHL. His (20-year-old season), he finished second in league scoring and he was always our most responsible defensive player.”
Johnson, now 24, wasn’t selected in the NHL draft — at 5-foot-9, he is one of those players who has had to live with being too small. But he was able to sign a free-agent deal with the Lightning.
Al Murray, Tampa Bay’s head amateur scout, lives in Regina so had ample opportunity to watch Johnson during his WHL career. It was on Murray’s recommendation that the Lightning signed Johnson.
He played two seasons in the AHL and now is in his second full NHL season.
He got his first taste of the NHL in 2012-13 when he had three goals and three assists in 16 games.
Last season, he played 82 games with the Lightning and showed a hint of what he was about when he put up 50 points, including 24 goals.
Still, who saw this season coming?
He leads the Lightning in points, with 45, 17 of them goals, in 42 games. On Sunday, he was named to the NHL all-star game.
Unfortunately, he left in the second period of Monday’s 7-3 loss to the Flyers in Philadelphia with an undisclosed injury. Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper didn’t know whether Johnson would be able to play tonight against the host Boston Bruins.
Before leaving the game, Johnson set up Tampa Bay sniper Steven Stamkos for a goal with as nifty a pass as you will see.
Johnson first skated at the age of 18 months.
His mother, Debbie, taught power-skating; his father, Ken, coached minor hockey for a long time. Yes, he coached Tyler during his minor hockey career.
Don’t think for a minute that just because Johnson now is 2,316 miles from Spokane, as the crow flies, that the Chiefs’ followers have forgotten him.
“There are lots of Johnson jerseys in our crowd, both Chiefs and Lightning,” Speltz noted. “Spokane is very proud of their hometown hockey hero.
“All that said, who Tyler is is what makes him special . . . a great young man who is a fantastic role model you cannot say enough about.”
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The Portland Winterhawks meet the Blazers in Kamloops on Wednesday night and then are in Prince George to face the Cougars on Friday and Saturday. This is the Winterhawks’ last regular-season trip outside the U.S. Division. . . . Portland F Chase De Leo goes into Kamloops on a 17-game point streak. He has two goals and 18 assists in the 17 games. . . . F Oliver Bjorkstrand, who is tied with Petan for the team scoring lead, with 48 points, has seven points, three of them goals, over his last two games. He has points in 15 of his last 16 games, with multiple points in 12 of those contests. . . . F Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice has 282 career regular-season points. That leaves him four points behind F Jarret Stoll, who holds the franchise record (286). . . . The Ice next plays Wednesday in Moose Jaw.
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Happy 61st to Dennis Sobchuk who was never same after a shoulder injury. Dennis scored 191 in 200 games w/ @WHLpats. pic.twitter.com/m94qafgHRv
— O-Pee-Chee Stars (@opeecheestars) January 13, 2015

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Igor Bacek (Tri-City, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with Dortmund (Germany, Oberliga). He had 17 goals and 31 assists in 37 games with Passau Black Hawks (Germany, Oberliga) last season.
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John Leake, the author of Cold A Long Time: An Alpine Mystery, appeared on Dan Russell’s SportsTalk on Thursday night.
SportsTalk is a three-hour nightly show that originates with CKNW, an AM radio station in Vancouver.
Cole A Long Time details the death of former Saskatoon Blades D Duncan MacPherson and all that follows as his parents, Lynda and Bob, work to find out what happened.
SportsTalk is on the CKNW website in podcast form. The Leake interview covers most of two hours and it’s available right here. Just click on Thursday, June 14, Hour 1 and Hour 2.
The book, which is a must read, is available via the Internet right here.
And it soon is to become available at Chapters Indigo book stores.
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has a piece right here on Rob Laird, one of the longest-serving members of the Los Angeles Kings organization. A pro scout, Laird has been part of the Kings for 18 years. What is nice about this piece is that Laird passes along some Stanley Cup credit to Al Murray, who once was the Kings’ director of amateur scouting. In fact, it was with Murray heading up the scouting department that the Kings drafted three key players — goaltender Jonathan Quick and forwards Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar. Murray now is the Tampa Bay Lightning’s director of amateur scouting.
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JUST NOTES:
The Prince Albert Raiders have signed their first three selections from the 2012 bantam draft. . . . D Brendan Guhle, the third overall selection, had 24 points with the Sherwood Park Flyers of the Alberta Major Bantam League. . . . G Nick McBride, a second-round pick from Maple Ridge, B.C., also signed. He helped the Burnaby Winter Club Bruins win the Western Canadian bantam AAA championship last season. . . . F Matteo Gennaro, who played for the bantam AAA St. Albert Sabres, also was a second-round selection. He had 44 points, including 23 goals, in 31 games. . . .
The Prince George Cougars have signed F Jansen Harkins of North Vancouver. He was the second overall pick in the 2012 bantam draft. Harkins, the son of former pro Todd Harkins, had 122 points, including 68 goals, with the bantam AAA North Shore Winter Club Winterhawks and was named a co-winner of the 2012 Hockey Now Minor Hockey Player of the Year Award. . . .
The Kamloops Blazers have signed F Jayden Halbgewachs, the 19th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. Halbgewachs, from Emerald Park, Sask., had 89 points, 55 of them goals, in 24 games with the bantam AA Prairie Storm. He will play next season with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. . . .
Daniel Fink has joined the Regina Pats as their media and communications manager. He joins the Pats from the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves. He was the radio voice of the Ice Wolves. With the Pats, he will be, according to a news release, “responsible for all aspects of media relations and communications as it relates to the Pats.” . . . Fink starts work on Aug. 18. . . .
Congrats to Bill Whitehead, the newly elected president of Hockey Manitoba. Whitehead, who is from Roland, Man., was a minute-eating defenceman with the MJHL’s Selkirk Steelers when they won the 1974 Centennial Cup as national junior A champions.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The St. Louis Blues have promoted Brad Shaw to associate coach while adding Gary Agnew as an assistant coach. Agnew replaces Scott Mellanby, who left the Blues late last month and has since signed as the Montreal Canadiens’ director of player personnel. . . . Agnew had been head coach of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals since Nov. 7. He spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets where he worked alongside Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock. . . . The Blues other assistant coach, Ray Bennett, is going into his sixth full season with the Blues. Prior to that, Bennett, who worked in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs and Moose Jaw Warriors, spent seven seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. . . . Shaw is going into his seventh season with the Blues. . . .
The QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs have named Mike Kelly as their new head coach. Kelly, who was the Sea Dogs’ director of hockey operations and associate coach, actually has been named general manager and head coach. . . . He replaces Gerard Gallant as head coach. Gallant has signed on as an assistant coach with the Montreal Canadiens. . . . Kelly did a stint as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings (2003-04). . . . The Sea Dogs, the 2011 Memorial Cup champions, have won the last two QMJHL titles, going 161-34-9 in the process. . . .
One year after signing on with the junior B Revelstoke Grizzlies as an assistant coach, Kevin Kraus is the team’s general manager and head coach. Kraus (Kamloops, Tri-City, 2006-07) replaces Randy Quakenbush, who had his contract terminated but remains in the organization and plans on working to keep the Kootenay International league franchise in Revelstoke after it came perilously close to being sold and relocated to 100 Mile House. . . . Brian Wiebe, who follows all things BCHL the way a mother goose follows her young ones, first tweeted the Kraus signing on June 8. Wiebe tweets at @Brian_Wiebe.
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Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com has the latest right here on the story of Jim Duquette, the longtime baseball executive, and his daughter, Lindsey. Jim gave a kidney to Lindsey last week and should have his 10-year-old daughter home for Father’s Day. It doesn’t get any better than that.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter), one of ESPN’s NFL reporters: “After one NFL exec heard CB Adam Jones was ordered to pay $11.7 million for his role in a shooting, he texted, ‘When it rains, it pours.’ ”

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