The WHL’s arena advisory committee’s next meeting is scheduled for August, at which time, Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reports, commissioner Ron Robison is going to recommend that all WHL facilities install acrylic glass. . . . The glass has been installed in the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon at a cost of, uhh, $350,000. In Saskatoon’s case, the province kicked in $250,000 with the city good for 100 grand.
———
Meanwhile, Nugent-Bowman also reports that WHL fans are going to be able to watch On the Edge: Road to the Memorial Cup on Sportsnet as a lead-up to the 2013 tournament that is to be played in Saskatoon. It sounds like it’s all but a done deal, with the show to be patterned after 24/7, the show HBO has done that leads fans into the NHL’s Winter Classic. . . . The difference being that 24/7 deals with professional adults, not with teenagers. . . . Two questions, if you’re a parent: 1. Do you want your child as a subject of such a show?; 2. If such a show goes ahead and you child is on it, would you like to see some cash coming his way?
Nugent-Bowman’s story is right here. . . . Would have loved to have had a show like this around when Lorne Molleken, the Blades’ GM/head coach, was playing for the Winnipeg Clubs. Could have called it Full Mooner over Winnipeg. Now that would have been a ratings hit.
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The Edmonton Oilers have hired one of hockey’s good guys to replace another of the good guys. Rick Carriere has been named senior director of player development, replacing the retired Billy Moores. . . . Carriere, 53, was the GM of the Medicine Hat Tigers (2000-04) and scouted for them through last season. He also served as a head coach with the Tigers and Red Deer Rebels. . . . It was Carriere who took the bullets when the Tigers bottomed out, but, Mama, look at them now. The decision to rebuild through the draft and put the faith in the scouting staff has paid off in a full house night after night. . . . Carriere has been teaching at Vimy Ridge Academy in Edmonton. . . . Interestingly, Carriere played for Moores with the U of A Golden Bears in the early 1980s. . . . Moores will remain with the Oilers, as a consultant in the player development area.
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More WHLers off to NHL development camps. . . . The Philadelphia Flyers have added F Mitch Elliot (Seattle), F Austin Fyten (Vancouver), F Cole Grbavac (Medicine Hat), D Matt Konan (Medicine Hat) and D Justin Hamonic (Tri-City). . . . Hamonic’s name also appears on the camp roster for the Toronto Maple Leafs and I’m told that he will attend both development camps. It sounds something like a rock star on tour. No? Here’s hoping he keeps a diary as there might be a good book there. . . . F Adam Hughesman (Tri-City) will join the Maple Leafs. . . . D Joey Leach (Kootenay) is going camping with the Winnipeg Jets, while F Trevor Cheek (Calgary) is headed for the Carolina Hurricanes. . . . F Taylor Peters (Portland) will camp out with the Florida Panthers. . . . G Mackenzie Skapski (Kootenay) is to join the Minnesota Wild.
———
F Max Moline, 19, won’t be back with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, deciding instead to attend the U of Lethbridge. Moline, who is from Lethbridge, began his career with the Tri-City Americans and finished with the Hurricanes. However, injuries limited him to 75 games, during which he earned eight points, two of them goals. . . . He got some publicity last season when his fiancee, Kaylee Lyon, gave birth to Ronald James Winston Moline in January.
———
The San Francisco Bulls are getting closer to their debut in the ECHL. Their first player, Czech F Peter Sivak, was introduced to fans on Thursday. Oldtimers may be incredulous to learn that the Bulls will play, yes, in the Cow Palace, which apparently has had something of a makeover.
Steve Langsam of the Martinez News-Gazette has more right here.
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The Vancouver Giants have hired Alex Grebenyuk as their new director of media relations and broadcasting, which means he will be the team’s play-by-play voice. For the last four seasons, he has been the radio voice of the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials. Grebenyuk replaces Dan Elliott, who was dropped after last season and now is at his alma mater, the U of British Columbia, as the manager of media relations.
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After five seasons in the ownership game, the Okanagan Hockey Academy is unloading the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. The OHA has reached an agreement with the Port Alberni Junior Hockey Society that will have 100 per cent of the franchise change hands. Ron Rauch of the Victoria Times Colonist has more right here.
———
The UBC Hornets minor hockey coach who got caught on video tripping an opposing player? It seems that he is going to live in infamy because all signs point to this incident become a teaching moment for minor hockey coaches. Sarah Boesveld of the National Post has more right here. And if you haven’t there’s a link to the video there, too.
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THE COACHING GAME:
D.J. Smith is the new head coach of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. . . . He has been with the Windsor Spitfires since 2005, first as assistant and then associate coach. . . . Smith, a defenceman, played for the Spitfires before going on to a pro career that included stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche. His playing career was halted by post-concussion syndrome. . . . Smith takes over from Gary Agnew, who was dropped in April. . . .
Former NHLer Rick Vaive is getting into the coaching game. He is taking over as head coach of the minor midget AAA Oakville Rangers, a team that comprises 1997-born players. Vaive, 53, is a longtime resident of Oakville, Ont. He has pro coaching experience in the ECHL (East Carolina Stingrays), AHL (Saint John Flames) and OHL (Mississauga IceDogs). He also has coached minor hockey, and once had a team whose roster included Jeff Skinner and Tyler Seguin, both of who now are NHLers.

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Another day, another upset coach throwing things.
This time, it’s Benoit Groulx of the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques, who is rather upset that there wasn’t a penalty for what he felt was a kneeing incident.
It’s obvious that Groulx hasn’t yet been to the Marlin Murray school of cleaning up the bench, but he does get good distance in the garbage can toss.
With a tip of the cap to Jérôme Bérubé.
———
The Vancouver Giants took a couple of hits Tuesday with the news that D David Musil and F Nathan Burns won’t play again this season. . . . Musil, who has had wrist problems for a couple of months, was found to have a broken scaphoid and was to have surgery yesterday. Musil played major minutes for the Giants and was a key part of their penalty kill. He was a second-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2011 NHL draft. . . . Burns, who has 34 points in 55 games, was injured in the third period of a 5-4 OT victory over the visiting Victoria Royals on Sunday. He has been diagnosed with a sprained knee. . . . The Giants also are without F Anthony Ast (high ankle sprain) and F Austin Vetterl (foot), neither of whom is likely to play again this season. . . . Vancouver did get the news that F Austin Fyten, 20, has been given medical clearance to practise with contact. Fyten had knee surgery prior to the start of the season and has yet to play.
———
The Portland Winterhawks have added D Ben Betker, 17, to their roster. A native of Cranbrook, Betker spent this season with the BCHL’s Westside Warriors. He put up 18 points in 59 games and had 52 penalty minutes.
———
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
A couple of notes: After last night’s games, all Eastern Conference teams have two games remaining. . . . The Prince George Cougars were not eliminated from playoff contention last night. They still can tie for the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff. Should two teams tie for a conference’s final playoff spot, they would play a sudden-death game, with the winner advancing. . . .

In Brandon, the Moose Jaw Warriors got two goals in the circus and beat the Wheat Kings, 3-2. . . . F Cam Braes and F Eric Arnold, who scored his 13th goal in regulation, scored in the shootout for Moose Jaw. . . . Brandon got one shootout goal from F Mark Stone. . . . The Wheat Kings got their regulation-time goals from D Ryan Pulock, his 19th, and D Eric Roy, with 6.2 seconds left in the third period. . . . Stone had two assists. . . . Brandon G Corbin Boes stopped 44 shots, 15 more than Moose Jaw’s Luke Siemens. . . . The Wheat Kings took the game’s only two minor penalties. . . . The Warriors scratched second-year F Jordan Wyton, 18, after he suffered a broken hand in practice on Tuesday. . . . The victory allowed Moose Jaw to clinch home-ice advantage through two rounds of playoffs. . . . The Wheat Kings remain eighth in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Saskatoon and Kootenay. . .

In Calgary, the Lethbridge Hurricanes scored the game’s first two goals and went on to surprise the Hitmen, 5-2. . . . F Jaimen Yakubowski, at 2:10, and F Russell Maxwell, at 5:19, on a PP, put the Hurricanes out front early and they never trailed. . . . Lethbridge F Graham Hood, playing his 250th career game, got his 15th goal this season. . . . F Juraj Bezuch drew two assists for Lethbridge. . . . G Damien Ketlo stopped 37 shots for the Hurricanes. . . . The loss kept the Hitmen from moving into a tie with idle Medicine Hat for third place in the Eastern Conference. The Hitmen, who can finish no lower than fourth, remain two points back. . . .

In Regina, F Jordan Weal scored twice to help the Pats to a 4-1 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Weal got his 40th of the season on a PP with two seconds left in the first period and later added an empty-netter. . . . Regina F Matt Marantz had two assists. . . . D Sawyer Lange, a 17-year-old from Prince Albert, scored his first WHL goal in his 56th game this season. . . . The victory moved Regina into fifth, a point ahead of Saskatoon and Kootenay. . . .

In Cranbrook, F Kristians Pelss scored at 3:55 of OT to give the Edmonton Oil Kings a 5-4 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The goal was the 27th of the season for Pelss and gave Edmonton its ninth straight victory. . . . D Jagger Dirk gave the Ice a 4-3 lead with a shorthanded goal at 10:21 of the third period. . . . Edmonton F Tristan Sieben tied it at 10:52 on a PP. . . . Ice D Spencer Wand, a 16-year-old from Saskatoon, scored his first WHL goal in his 50th game. . . . The loser point lifted the Ice into a sixth-place tie with idle Saskatoon. . . . The Oil Kings moved into first place in the overall standings, one point ahead of idle Tri-City. Each team has two games remaining, meaning Edmonton finishes first if it wins out. . . .

In Victoria, F Stephen Hodges broke a 3-3 tie at 13:14 of the third period to give the Royals a 4-3 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The visitors hit three posts after Hodges’ goal. . . . Portland F Oliver Gabriel tied the game 3-3 with his 17th goal at 2:36 of the third. . . . Hodges has 21 goals this season. . . . Portland led 2-1 after the first period, but Victoria took a 3-2 led into the third. . . . Victoria G Keith Hamilton stopped 32 shots, including 12 of 13 in the third when his side was outshot 13-2. The Royals acquired Hamilton from Portland prior to the start of the season. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 15 shots. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie scored his 55th goal, while F Jamie Crooks got his 36th for Victoria. . . . Victoria continues with F Robin Soudek, who has an undisclosed injury. . . . The Winterhawks remain without F Sven Baertschi, who remains on emergency recall with the NHL’s Calgary Flames. . . . The victory lifted the Royals into seventh in the Western Conference, a point ahead of Everett and three ahead of idle Seattle, which has three games left. . . . The Winterhawks, with two left, are two behind Tri-City and three behind Edmonton. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets broke a 1-1 tie with three straight goals and beat the Everett Silvertips 4-2. . . . F Tyson Baillie broke a 1-1 tie at 18:10 of the first period, getting his ninth goal on a PP, and F Shane McColgan and F Cody Chikie scored in the third period as the Rockets pulled away. . . . McColgan and Chikie both have 18 goals. . . . The Rockets were 2-3 on the PP; Everett was 0-4. . . . Kelowna F Brett Bulmer scored his 33rd goal. . . . The Rockets, already without veteran D Mitchell Chapman due to injury, lost D Myles Bell (leg) in the first period and D Madison Bowey (upper body) in the second. . . . The Rockets will finish sixth in the Western Conference. . . . The Silvertips slid back a spot and now are eighth, two points ahead of Seattle. Everett has two games remaining. Seattle will finish with three games in three nights, starting Friday in Spokane. . . .

In Spokane, D Reid Gow broke a 4-4 tie at 19:13 of the third period as the Chiefs beat the Kamloops Blazers, 6-4. . . . Gow has two goals this season. . . . Spokane F Dominik Uher iced it with his 33rd into an empty net. . . . D Brendan Kichton had two goals, giving him 16, and an assist for Spokane. . . . F Tim Bozon scored twice for Kamloops, giving him 35 in his freshman season. . . . Kamloops G Cole Cheveldave left after the first period due to illness. He stopped eight of nine shots. Cam Lanigan replaced him and turned aside 14 of 18 shots. . . . The Blazers have added G Taran Kozun, 17, to their roster. He spent the season with the SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks. . . . Kamloops F Chase Schaber missed his fourth straight game with a leg injury. . . . The victory lifted Spokane back into a fourth-place tie with Vancouver. Each team has two games remaining. Should they end up in a tie, Vancouver would finish fourth as it would have more victories. . . . The loss means the Blazers can’t finish first overall and will go into the first round as the second seed because they are B.C. Division champions.
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Cole Wedman, Spokane.
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Chase Souto, Kamloops.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Brandon (8)
Moose Jaw (2) vs. Kootenay (7)
Medicine Hat (3) vs. Saskatoon (6)
Calgary (4) vs. Regina (5)
———
Western Conference
Tri-City (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kamloops (2) vs. Victoria (7)
Portland (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
Vancouver (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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TODAY’S GAMES:
None.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:
Calgary at Kootenay
Moose Jaw at Prince Albert
Brandon at Regina
Saskatoon at Swift Current
Edmonton at Medicine Hat
Lethbridge at Red Deer
Prince George at Kamloops
Seattle at Spokane
Everett at Tri-City
Portland at Victoria
Kelowna at Vancouver

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ASK THE COMMISSIONER:
The Seattle Thunderbirds are scheduled to visit the Everett Silvertips tonight, while the Portland Winterhawks will be in Kennewick, Wash., to play the Tri-City Americans. Mr. Commissioner, with Portland and Tri-City embroiled in a battle for first place overall, why is it that Root Sports is televising the Seattle at Everett game?
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TEN QUESTIONS, OR MORE:
1. Is there a head coach in the WHL who has done a better job this season than Jesse Wallin of the Red Deer Rebels? How many votes does he get as coach of the year?
2. How about Dave Hunchak of the Kamloops Blazers as the Western Conference nominee as coach of the year? An associate head coach never has won the coach-of-the-year award but you could make a case that no coach in the Western Conference has had a bigger impact than has Hunchak.
3. Why do so many people not understand that those people calling for an end to fighting recognize that its inclusion has become a safety issue? Those in control of such things must do all they can to reduce head trauma.
4. Brandon without the Wheat Kings? Surely, the speculation about serious problems in lease negotations between the Wheat Kings and Westman Place can’t be true.
5. The Tri-City Americans have taken some heat of late because the players have taken to using the ‘Bonesaw’ gimmick from Spiderman as a game-ending victory celebration. Some fans have interpreted it as something of an obscene gesture, however, so will the league step in and put a stop to it?
6. The Kamloops Blazers are 14-2-1 against the U.S. Division. They are 36-6-3 inside the Western Conference. How is that possible?
7. How much long can owner Rick Brodsky keep the Cougars in Prince George with announced attendance now having fallen to the 1,500 range? How many times a week does he hear from someone in another city who kicking tires?
8. If someone built a 5,500-seat arena in Nanaimo, would the WHL give — give, not sell — that person an expansion franchise?
9. What happened to F Brendan Shinnimin of the Tri-City Americans? He didn’t pick up any points on Thursday.
10. Is it really just three weeks until the playoffs begin?
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JUST NOTES:
You may recall having read here earlier this week about former WHL D Ryan Bender, who was participating in The Interview Season, a reality webinar in Regina. When I wrote about it earlier in the week, Bender had made the cut and was in the final pair. Well, Bender, who played in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers and Regina Pats (2003-08), was named the winner on Thursday.
He gets a prize package worth more than $100,000, the best part of which is a $50,000 contract with Rock Bridge Reality, a deal that includes education, training and licensing needed to become a real estate agent. Bender also picks up a one-year lease on a Cadillac vehicle, a professional photo shoot, a marketing package that includes an advertising package from The Wolf 104.9, a Regina radio station, and a business wardrobe.
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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that F Austin Fyten, 20, may get into the Vancouver Giants’ lineup before the end of the regular season. Fyten, who was dropped by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in January, hasn’t played at all this season because of a knee injury. . . . Ewen speculates that Fyten, a left winger with Lethbridge, may find himself playing between wingers Marek Tvrdon and Brendan Gallagher on Vancouver’s top line.
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Chris Peters of The United States of Hockey offers up his take on the fighting conundrum right here. And he gets it. Fighting has to go, not as part of the move to get concussions out of the game, but to cut down on the amount of head trauma experienced by participants.
As Peters writes”
“It is very important to understand that the rule to ban fighting is indeed a plot to reduce concussions, but more specifically, it is a quest to reduce instances of contact to the head. Fighting will not always, but often result in one or more blows to the head. If you are unaware, every fighter’s goal is to connect his fist with his opponent’s face as many times as possible.
“Another huge factor in this debate is the difference between the teenage brain and the adult brain. The teenage brain is more succeptable to brain trauma and yes, concussions, putting them at a greater risk for CTE.”
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Bernard Goldberg of HBO Sports has taken a look at the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl tragedy. It is nine minutes in length and is right here. And it’s really worth watching, even if it will make your eyes water.
———
Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that “C Kevin Sundher (concussion) and C/RW Jason Swyripa both practised fully on Thursday and appear ready to return to the lineup tonight. C Tyrel Seaman (concussion) also practised without restrictions, but was not on one of the top four lines, suggesting he is not likely to (play).” . . . The Wheat Kings are at home to the Lethbridge Hurricanes tonight.
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The Wheat Kings, who at present are eighth in the Eastern Conference, still could move up a spot or two. Wherever they finish, though, they will play their first-round home playoff games at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg. . . . That, as usual, is because the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair will be moving into the facility in Brandon.
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A Thursday tweet from F Cody Beach (@CodyBeach16) of the Moose Jaw Warriors: “Car gets stuck in the snow, who stops to help? Homeless guy on a bike, thank you sir #10buckpayday”
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The Tri-City Americans have signed F Beau McCue, 16, to a WHL contract. McCue, a native of Missoula, Montana, has 26 points, including 16 goals, in 39 games with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes of the Tier 1 Elite League. The 6-foot-0, 180-pound McCue is the team captain. He has been on the Americans’ 50-play list since October 2010 and was at their training camp prior to this season.
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With all the chatter this week about to fight or not to fight, Gilles Courteau, the QMJHL’s commissioner, felt a need to release this statement on Thursday, pointing out that he has been aware of discussions between Hockey Canada and USA Hockey:
“"We discussed it during the last World Junior Championship. However it is important to distinguish between minor hockey and the QMJHL and CHL when we talk about abolishing fights. We have been discussing this issue for several years now and have constantly revised our regulations in regards to fighting in order to provide a safer environment for our players."
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In the BCHL, the visiting Penticton Vees ran their winning streak to 38 games with a 5-3 victory over the Merritt Centennials. The Vees scored the game’s last two goals to get the victory, which set a BCHL record for consecutive road victories. The Vees, with five games remaining, next play tonight against the visiting Salmon Arm SilverBacks.
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For today’s good read, we leave the slippery ice surfaces of hockey and go to the slippery surface of golf greens. Here is Karen Crouse of The New York Times on the newest version of Tiger Woods, one that doesn’t seem to be much different than the old one.


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Ty Rattie of the Portland Winterhawks shows off the puck with which he
scored his 50th goal (and his 100th point) in a Monday night game. Veteran
fans will remember back in the day when photos such as this one were
in vogue when players reached various milestones.
(Photo by Bryan Heim / Portland Winterhawks)

ASK THE COMMISSIONER:
The Calgary Hitmen beat the Rockets 7-1 in Kelowna on Friday night. At 17:21 of the third period, Kelowna F Brett Lyon was given a misconduct penalty. At 19:24 of the third period, the Rockets scored their only goal — according to the online scoresheet, it went to Madison Bowey with assists to Tyson Baillie and, uhh, Brett Lyon. . . . Mr. Commissioner, how is it possible for Lyon to get an assist while he presumably was in the dressing room?
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JUST NOTES:
The Prince Albert Raiders will have F Tim Vanstone, 15, in their lineup tonight against the host Swift Current Broncos. Vanstone, a Prince Albert native, plays for the midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires for whom he put up 33 points and 72 penalty minutes, including 14 goals, in 38 regular-season games. . . . Following tonight’s game, he will return to the Legionnaires for the playoffs where they will meet the Prince Albert Mintos in the first round. . . . Vanstone, who is not believed to be related to Regina Leader-Post sports columnist Rob Vanstone, was a third-round selection by the Raiders in the 2011 bantam draft. . . .
The Tim Hortons Brier – that is the Canadian men’s curling championship – is to be held in Saskatoon, March 3-11. With that in mind, the Blades will wear Brier-themed sweaters for their Saturday game against the visiting Red Deer Rebels. (Ironically, the Rebels are out of their building because the Scotties Tournament of Hearts – the Canadian women’s curling championship – is on in their building this week.). . . . There is more on the Blades and their sweaters, including a photo, right here. . . .
The Saskatoon Blades are bringing in D Macklin Pichonsky, an 11th-round bantam draft selection in 2010, for tonight’s game against the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes. Pichonsky, from Leduc, Alta., plays for the midget AAA Leduc Chrysler Oil Kings. . . .
The Tampa Bay Lightning traded F Steve Downie to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday and some folks thought that might translate into more playing time for F Brett Connolly, whose WHL rights belong to the Tri-City Americans. . . . Connolly played 6:10 in a 3-2 victory over the visiting Anaheim Ducks last night. He had nine shifts — five in the first and two in each of the second and third. . . .
Kevin Paul Dupont, a veteran hockey writer with the Boston Globe, tweeted this last night: “One team exec I talked w/today says growing chatter among NHL GMs is that they'd like return of red line.” . . . You are going to hear a lot of this kind of talk in the next while as hockey execs, including in the WHL, search for ways to slow the game down and, hopefully, cut down on the number of concussions. . . .
Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that F Austin Fyten, 20, is skating with the Vancouver Giants, something that could become a huge development as the days move forward. Fyten had reconstructive knee surgery in October; he was dropped by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in January and his rights were picked up by the Giants. He isn’t involved in contact yet but it would be quite a boost for the Giants should he be able to play at any point in the playoffs. . . . As well, Vancouver F Dalton Sward, who hasn’t played since Jan. 13 because of a shoulder injury, is back in full practice mode and may play against the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Friday. The teams play again Saturday in Kamloops.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, F Jesse Ismond’s shootout goal gave the Kootenay Ice a 5-4 victory over the Wheat Kings, who had won four in a row. . . . It was Brandon’s 12th straight shootout loss. . . . Ismond was the only one of the 10 shooters in the circus to score. . . . F Sam Reinhart had two goals, giving him 25, and an assist for the Ice, while his brother, F Max, got his 24th goal. . . . Max gave the Ice a 3-2 lead at 6:01 of the third and Sam upped that at 9:44. . . . Brandon F Dominick Favreau forced OT when he scored his ninth goal with 13 seconds left in the third period. . . . Brandon G Eric Roy had made it 4-3 with a PP goal at 16:52. He also has nine goals. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone was awarded a late assist sometime after Saturday’s 6-2 victory over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders. So he went into last night’s game with a WHL-leading 102 points, not 101. . . . Stone added two more assists in this one and his 104 points give him a two-point lead atop the scoring race. He also is on a 13-game point streak. . . . Stone was shaken up in the third period, thanks to an elbow to the chops. . . . Brandon D Dylan Kuczek scored his first WHL goal. The 17-year-old from Winnipeg scored in his 32nd game, 31 of which have come this season. . . . The Wheat Kings welcomed back F Alessio Bertaggia, but remain without injured F Kevin Sundher, F Jason Swyripa and F Tyrel Seaman. Sundher and Seaman are concussed. . . . Still, Brandon dressed just 17 skaters, one under the maximum. . . . Brandon F Michael Ferland, a 40-goal man, left with about seven minutes left in the first period and didn’t return. It might be an upper-body injury (i.e. concussion). . . . The Ice continues to be without F Drew Czerwonka, who is out for up to six weeks with what is believed to be a knee injury. . . . The Wheat Kings, 7-1-1 in their last nine, pulled into a tie for seventh with the Regina Pats in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Ice slid past the idle Calgary Hitmen and into fourth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks moved into first place in the WHL’s overall standings with an 8-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Winterhawks took a 2-0 lead into the second period and then struck for four PP goals in five opportunities. . . . F Brendan Leipsic scored three times — his first hat trick and the ninth of the season for Portland — and added two assists. . . . Portland got a goal and two assists from each of D Derrick Pouliot, who is on a seven-game point streak, and F Marcel Noebels. . . . The Winterhawks have won eight in a row. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie had a goal, his 51st, and an assist, giving him 102 points, two behind Brandon F Mark Stone. . . . Portland F Oliver Gabriel had an assist, to run his point streak to 12 games. . . . Portland F Sven Baertschi had an assist and is on an 11-game streak. With 81 points in 41 games, he has fallen slightly off his two points-per-game pace. . . . The victory lifted the Winterhawks to the top of the WHL’s overall standings, one point ahead of the idle Kamloops Blazers. Kamloops is at home tonight to the Victoria Royals. . . . The Tri-City Americans are a point behind the Blazers. . . . Kamloops and Tri-City each holds a game in hand on Portland. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Brendan Shinnimin had a night to remember as he put up six points in a 7-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Shinnimin finished with three goals, giving him 44, and three assists. . . . That lifted his point total to a career-high 102, leaving him two off the pace being set by Brandon F Mark Stone. . . . Shinnimin, who has two hat tricks this season, also reached the 300-point plateau — he has 305 pints in 254 games. . . . The last Americans skater with 100 points was Eric Johansson (103, 2001-02). . . . Shinnimin now has at least one goal in seven straight games. He has 70 points in 32 games since Dec. 1. . . . F Adam Hughesman had two goals and an assist for the Americans. He’s got 92 points, including 35 goals. . . . F Patrick Holland chipped in a goal and three assists, leaving him with 84 points, including 63 assists. . . . Holland has been playing on a line with Hughesman and Shinnimin — let’s call it the Straight A’s Line — and has a goal and eight assists in his last three games. . . . Straight A’s? Each of them wears an A. . . . In those three games, Shinnimin has seen goals and four assists, and Hughesman has three goals and four helpers. . . . F Jordyn Boyd had a goal for Everett, meaning he has scored in three straight games. . . . Everett D Ryan Murray didn’t have a point but finished plus-2. . . . Tri-City was 2-7 on the PP. . . . F Parker Bowles of the major midget Okanagan Rockets, who play out of Kelowna, made his WHL debut with the Americans. A list player, he signed a couple of weeks ago. . . . The Cougars remain 10th in the Western Conference but are just two points out a playoff spot.
———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Darian Dziurzynski, Brandon.
F Jari Erricson, Everett.
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Nate Ewell was named interim executive director of College Hockey Inc., on Tuesday, replaced Paul Kelly, who left the organization on Monday.
Ewell has been with CHI since January 2011, serving as director of communications. Before that, he worked in communications for eight seasons with the NHL’s Washington Capitals.
Also on Tuesday, Kelly tweeted: “I greatly enjoyed establishing CHI 2+ years ago and being an advocate for the 58 NCAA D-I programs. Time now to let others carry on mission.”
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If you have are a hockey fan, or have had anything to do with the game at the major junior level or above, you will enjoy The Code, a book that is new to bookshelves near you. Brad Shade, a grinder during his playing days, is scouting for the Los Angeles Kings, meaning he is preparing for another NHL draft. The Kings want to draft a particular player, but something doesn’t smell right. The Code was written by G.B. Joyce, and if you know anything about hockey you will get a real kick out of the clichés. . . . G.B. Joyce? You may know him as Gare Joyce, a prolific writer of all things hockey. . . . The book carries a $30 price tag in Canada, but I spotted it with a $20 tag on it in a bookstore earlier this week.
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And if you click right here you will find Joyce’s review of Goon, the hockey-related movie that opens Friday in theatres everywhere. Joyce reviewed it for The Globe and Mail.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Brett Breitkreuz (Kelowna, Edmonton, Vancouver, 2006-10) signed a one-year contract extension with Kölner Haie (Germany, DEL). He has three goals and five assists in 29 games for Cologne this season. . . .
F Ivan Dornic (Portland, 2003-05) signed a contract for the rest of this season with AaB Aalborg (Denmark, AL-Bank Ligaen). He had nine goals and seven assists in 25 games with Metallurg Zhlobin (Belarus, Extraliga) this season. . . .
F Patrik Valcak (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 2003-04) was released by Nitra (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had one goal and seven assists in 18 games for Nitra. Valcak began the season with Trinec (Czech Republic, Extraliga), where he was pointless in eight games.
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JUST NOTES:
F Chris Wilkie, a fourth-round selection by the Victoria Royals in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft, has committed to the U of North Dakota. Wilkie, 15, has 37 points in 14 regular-season games with the Omaha Jr. Lancers program. According to a Lancers news release, he leads “all three PHL divisions (18U, 16U, 14U) in scoring . . . and has quickly become one of the best young prospects the PHL has seen in its three-year history.” . . . That would be the North American Prospects Hockey League. . . . Wilkie is coming off a five-game, 23-point performance in a weekend PHL event in Dallas. . . . Wilkie’s father, David, coaches the Lancers. David also is a former WHL defenceman (Seattle, Kamloops, Regina, 1991-94) who was a first-round selection by the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL’s 1992 draft. . . . Carlos Sosa and Darcy Tucker of Turning Point Sports Management are the Wilkie family’s advisors. . . . Interestingly, David Wilkie was Sosa’s first client to be a first-round selection in the NHL draft. Wilkie also introduced Sosa to Tucker, then a forward with the Kamloops Blazers. Wilkie recommended that Sosa take on Tucker as a client, which is what happened. Sosa and Tucker have since partnered in TPSM.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have named F Brody Sutter as their captain, replacing F Cam Braes, 20, who was traded Monday to the Moose Jaw Warriors. Sutter, 20, was named captain just two days after his name was being bandied about in trade talks. . . . Sutter, a seventh-round selection of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2011 NHL draft, is the 21st captain in franchise history. . . . He is the son of former WHL/NHL F Duane Sutter.
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F Brett Connolly, whose WHL rights went from the Prince George Cougars to the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday, was in action with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. Connolly, 19, played nine minutes 43 seconds over 15 shifts as the Lightning lost 5-2 to the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. . . . He played nine minutes 42 seconds of even strength, with one second of PP time. . . . Hello, Steve, this is Bob Tory calling.
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F Patrick Holland of the Tri-City Americans got through the WHL trade deadline without having to pack up and move. But two days later he was involved in an NHL trade. On Thursday night, the Calgary Flames dealt Holland, F Rene Bourque and a 2013 second-round draft pick to the Montreal Canadiens for F Mike Cammalleri, G Karri Ramo and a 2012 fifth-round draft pick. . . . A seventh-round selection by the Flames in the NHL’s 2010 draft, Holland has 56 points in 39 games with the Americans this season. He is ninth in the WHL scoring race. Holland, 19, has yet to sign an NHL contract. . . . Later in the evening, Holland tweeted: “Guess it's time to thank my parents for putting me in 9 years of french immersion. Hoping I can please the @CanadiensMTL fans someday.”
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The Vancouver Giants are checking out F Austin Fyten, 20. Fyten underwent major knee surgery after suffering an injury during a Sept. 8 exhibition game with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that Fyten became a free agent on Tuesday when the Hurricanes dropped him at Tuesday’s trade deadline. According to Ewen, Fyten is “slated to come to town early next week to meet with Giants doctors, who will assess what rehab it may take for him to return this season.” The Giants are thinking perhaps they can get him into the lineup late in March or early in April. . . . Fyten, a second-round selection the 2006 bantam draft, had 177 points, including 55 goals, and 287 penalty minutes in 193 games with Lethbridge. Last season, in 52 games, he had 54 points, including 24 goals, and 103 penalties.
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There is going to be some emotion at an upcoming Portland Winterhawks game with former player and coach Brent Peterson in the house. He plans on attending a game or two early in February.
Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune has more right here.
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The Saskatoon Blades are expected to start G Alex Moodie, 16, again tonight as they play the Broncos in Swift Current. Moodie was to have been sent back to the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild. But the Blades lost G Andrey Makarov to a concussion so ended up keeping Moodie. All he did was go into Brandon and blank the Wheat Kings 2-0 on Wednesday night. That made him, according to Les Lazaruk, the radio voice of the Blades, the first 16-year-old goaltender in franchise history to post a shutout. . . . Once Makarov gets a clean bill of health, which could come early next week, Moodie will be going back to the Wild. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more on the Blades’ goaltending situation right here.
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THURSDAY’S GAME:
In Medicine Hat, F Dylan Wruck scored two goals and set up another to help the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 6-2 victory over the Tigers. . . . Edmonton also got two goals from F Rhett Rachinski, with F Tyler Maxwell scoring once and drawing two helpers. . . . F Emerson Etem got his 35th of the season for the Tigers. . . . Emerson scored the game’s first goal, at which point he had scored Medicine Hat’s last four goals. . . . Tigers G Tyler Bunz, who is stuck on 99 victories, left after two periods. He gave up five goals on 30 shots. . . . Edmonton D Griffin Reinhart (undisclosed) was scratched. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson made his Edmonton debut. He had one assist.
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The story involving hockey, concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has taken another turn.
Researchers in Boston have revealed that the brain of Richard Martin, who was a member of the famed French Connection with the Buffalo Sabres, contained CTE.
Martin, who died of a heart attack in March at the age of 59, played 11 NHL seasons, mostly without a helmet. He is the third former NHLer — but the first who wasn’t a fighter — whose brain has been found to have had CTE. The other two were Reggie Fleming and Bob Probert.
Robert Stern, a professor of neurology and neurosurgery at Boston University and co-director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at the university’s school of medicine, told James Christie of The Globe and Mail that Martin’s “CTE was definitely there and likely caused by repetitive blows to the head, received in hockey over the years.”
It is interesting that Martin, despite the presence of CTE, hadn’t shown any of the symptoms of the chronic brain disease that so many other diagnosed athletes had shown. That only goes to show how this research really is in its infancy and how much researchers continue to learn about the brain.
Dr. Ann McKee, who has done so much work in this area, examined Martin’s brain.
“Someone who wasn’t a fighter, by playing the game of hockey for the number of years that (Martin) did . . . it put him at risk for developing this disease,” Stern told Christie.
“We can speculate symptoms would have gotten worse. The message is that we need to take brain trauma in hockey and in all sports much more seriously than we have before.”
Researchers also are examining the brain of Derek Boogaard, who died earlier this summer. Results of that examination have yet to be released.
Christie’s complete story is right here.
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“The WHL's decision to modify its injury report is hardly a life-or death issue,” writes Greg Harder in the Regina Leader-Post. “Perhaps no one outside the media even noticed. However, it does point to a larger issue of credibility, raising legitimate questions about what the WHL is trying to hide.”
Harder’s complete column is right here.
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Things weren’t very pretty in Swift Current on Wednesday as the Broncos held their annual general meeting.
According to a team-issued news release: “The Broncos announced a financial loss of $197,226. The loss on the Hockey Operations side was $882,587, but additional revenues in Corporate Sponsorship, Corporate Suites and Fundraising closed the gap partially.”
A year ago, the Broncos announced a loss of $58,927 for 2009-10.
Jordan Wall, the Broncos’ director of business operations, told Steven Mah of the Southwest Booster after Wednesday night’s meeting: “It is very startling. I mean, it is not completely unexpected. We understood there were certain factors that led to it and we understood that we were probably going down that road this season, especially with a rough second half. But it is not a number you want to see and it is very scary for the long-term viability of the franchise.”
Think about the last part of that quote for a moment . . . “It is very scary for the long-term viability of the franchise.”
And thinks don’t look any better for this season, not with season-ticket sales somewhere south of 1,500. The Broncos have played two home games this season, drawing 2,023 fans to their home-opener (a 4-2 loss to the Regina Pats) and 1,812 (a 6-5 loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings).
Mah reported: “Ticket sales, per game attendance, and season-ticket sales all decreased during (2010-11). Per game attendance dropped for the second straight season, from 2,197 to 2,135.”
Mah’s complete story is right here.
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JUST NOTES: The host Saskatoon Blades won the Brodsky Bowl on Wednesday night, beating the visiting Prince George Cougars, 6-1. Jack Brodsky is the governor and president of the Blades; his brother Rick owns the Cougars. . . . The Cougars had six 16-year-old players, five of them forwards, in their lineup. . . . F Brett Connolly, who played the last three seasons with the Prince George Cougars, will open the season with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. In the preseason, Connolly, the sixth overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft, skated on a line with NHL stars Steven Stamkos and Marty St. Louis. When the Lightning opens against the host Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, Connolly likely will be on the third line, alongside Dominic Moore and Ryan Shannon. . . .
The Medicine Hat Tigers are the first Central Division team to visit the Victoria Royals. They’ll play there tonight and Friday. Before leaving Medicine Hat, the Tigers assigned G Dawson MacAuley, 17, to the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos and D Ryan Aasman to the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. MacAuley’s departure leaves Kenny Cameron, 18, to back up starter Tyler Bunz. Aasman, who from Medicine Hat, was selected by the Prince Albert Raiders with the eighth overall pick in the 2007 bantam draft. . . . G Luke Siemens, acquired Tuesday from the Everett Silvertips, stopped 19 shots on Wednesday night to help the host Moose Jaw Warriors to their fourth straight victory, a 3-2 triumph over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . D Collin Bowman, 20, has returned to the Warriors from the camp of the AHL’s Connecticut Whale. He is expected to be in the Warriors’ lineup Friday against the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings. . . .
In Edmonton, the Reinhart brothers staged something of a family reunion, although Griffin, a defenceman with the Oil Kings, wasn’t around for the finish against the Kootenay Ice. He took a kneeing major and game misconduct in the third period, so missed the end of what was a 2-1 shootout victory for the Oil Kings. . . . Kootenay F Brandon Hurley, who took the knee from Reinhart, is believed to have suffered a charleyhorse. . . . The Ice’s roster includes F Max Reinhart and F Sam Reinhart, both of whom came up empty in the shootout. All three are sons of former NHL D Paul Reinhart. . . .
In Vancouver, newly acquired G Adam Morrison stopped 25 shots through OT as the Giants scored a 3-2 shootout victory over the Spokane Chiefs. Vancouver F James Henry scored the only goal of the shootout to make a winner out of Morrison, who was acquired Tuesday in a four-player deal with the Saskatoon Blades. F Levi Bews, who also came to Vancouver in that deal, scored the Giants’ first goal. . . . The Red Deer Rebels have traded D Brad Deagle, 19, to the Seattle Thunderbirds for a conditional seventh round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. A third-round pick in the 2007 bantam draft, Deagle had 12 points, all of them assists, in 62 games last season. Deagle’s departure leaves the Rebels with nine defencemen still on their roster. . . .
The host Kelowna Rockets ran their winning streak to nine games with a 4-3 victory over the Tri-City Americans. The Rockets, who went 6-0 in the exhbition season, have won their first three regular-season games. They will meet again Friday, this time in Kennewick, Wash., at the Toyota Center. . . . Pat Siedlecki, the radio voice of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, reported on his blog yesterday that F Austin Fyten, 20, is scheduled to have knee surgery later this month and likely won’t play again for six months. Fyten was injured on his final shift of an exhibition game in Taber, Alta.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Monday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D David Turon (Portland, 2002-03) signed a one-year contract with Fassa (Italy, Serie A). He had two goals and one assist in 25 games with Dukla Trencin (Slovakia, Extraliga) and five goals and three assists in 28 games for Lausitzer Fuche Weisswasser (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) last season.
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The Kamloops Blazers have added to their stable of experienced WHL defencemen.
The Blazers acquired Marek Hrbas, an 18-year-old sophomore from the Czech Republic, from the Edmonton Oil Kings on Monday. In exchange for Hrbas and the 27th selection in the 2011 CHL import draft that is to be held Wednesday, the Blazers surrendered the 18th pick in the import draft and a fifth-round selection in the 2012 WHL bantam draft.

MAREK HRBAS

Hrbas, 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, had 17 points, including five goals, and 30 penalty minutes in 64 games with the Oil Kings last season. He was pointless in four playoff games. The Oil Kings selected him fourth overall in the CHL’s 2010 import draft.
Hrbas spent 2009-10 with the USHL’s Fargo, N.D., Force, earning 15 points, four of them goals, in 40 games. That season, he played for Czech Republic in the U-17 World Hockey Challenge at Timmins, Ont., and was the tournament’s highest-scoring defenceman with seven points in five games.
He played for the Czech Republic — he was the team captain — at the U-18 World Junior Championship in Germany in April, recording four assists in six games.
The acquisition of Hrbas leaves the Blazers with seven defencemen on their roster, each of whom has played at least one WHL season. Two of them — Josh Caron and Bronson Maschmeyer — are 20 years of age, while Austin Madaisky and Brandon Underwood are 19 and have played three WHL seasons. Tyler Hansen, at 18, is heading into his third season. Brady Gaudet, 17, is preparing for his second season.
Prior to trading for Hrbas, the Blazers were eligible to make two selections in the import draft, having chosen not to bring back Slovakian forward Dalibor Bortnak or German forward Bernhard Keil.
Now, Kamloops is scheduled to pick 27th, which should happen Wednesday at 10:20 a.m.
The OHL’s London Knights hold the first pick, having acquired it Monday from the Barrie Colts. London is to open the draft at 6 a.m.
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Check out Alan Caldwell’s blog, Small Thoughts At Large, over there on the right for a team-by-team look at the WHL heading into the import draft. . . . Between analysis like that and his statistical look at all of the WHL teams’ prospects that Caldwell has posted over the last while, you have to wonder why the WHL doesn’t offer him some big money to join their staff as the Minister of Information.
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JUST NOTES: Among the undrafted free agents attending the New York Rangers’ development camp that opened Monday are F T.J. Foster of the Edmonton Oil Kings, F Austin Fyten of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and F Jordan Hickmott of the Oil Kings. . . . The IIHF announced Monday that the 2014 World Junior Championship will be played in Malmö, Sweden. The 2012 event is scheduled for Calgary and Edmonton, with the 2013 tournament to be played in Ufa, Russia. . . . The Calgary Flames have said they won’t renew the contract of Duane Sutter, their director of player personnel. The Flames have signed John Weisbrod, who had been the director of pro and amateur scouting for the Boston Bruins, as assistant GM.
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An email from Ryan Ohashi, the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ communications and events manager, provides us with what he calls Ryan’s Really Random factoid of the day.
He points out quite a link between his Hurricanes and the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes . . .
Brody Sutter became the third Lethbridge Hurricanes player the NHL Hurricanes have drafted (they took him in the seventh round) and the fifth if you include the Hartford Whalers years.
The previous picks:
2008 – Zach Boychuk (Drafted by Carolina – 1st round, 14th overall)
1997 – Shane Willis (Drafted by Carolina – 4th round, 88th overall)
1995 – Byron Ritchie (Drafted by Hartford – 7th round, 165th overall)
1990 – Mark Greig (Drafted by Hartford – 1st round, 15th overall)
When Greig was drafted by Hartford, he became Lethbridge’s highest NHL draft pick, which lasted until 2003 when Brent Seabrook was selected 14th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. That was matched in 2008 when Carolina selected Boychuk.
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It’s worth noting, too, that Carolina now has three Sutters in its organization. Brody has two cousins, Brandon and Brett, with the Hurricanes. Brandon is on the NHL roster, while Brett finished the season with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.
Brody is the son of Duane Sutter, who was the Calgary Flames’ director of player personnel until being relieved of his duties on Sunday.
Brandon is the son of Brent Sutter, who owns the Red Deer Rebels and is the Flames’ head coach.
Brett’s father is Darryl, formerly the Flames’ general manager.
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THE COACHING GAME: Jason Herter, the head coach of the USHL’s Fargo Force, is leaving to sign on as an assistant coach with the U of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, who are the reigning NCAA champions. . . . Fargo assistant coach Byron Pool is the Force’s interim head coach while management searches for what will be the fourth coach in as many seasons. . . .
A source told me late Monday night that “Dave Barr is the new guy in Moose Jaw.” . . . Barr spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and was an assistant with the Colorado Avalanche for the previous season. . . . Before that, he spent four seasons as GM and head coach of the OHL’s Guelph Storm. . . . Barr, who played 614 regular-season NHL games over 13 seasons, will take over from Dave Hunchak, who was relieved of his duties after last season. He had been head coach of the Warriors for four seasons and now is the associate coach with the Kamloops Blazers. . . .
Former NHL F Kirk Muller has been named head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals, the NHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators. . . .
The NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, having lost their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, have hooked up with the Chicago Wolves on a two-year deal. . . . Wolves head coach Don Lever and assistant Ron Wilson won’t be returning. . . . Other AHL teams needing head coaches are the Abbotsford Heat, Houston Aeros, San Antonio Rampage, Texas Stars and St. John’s, the latter formerly the Manitoba Moose. . . .
The Portland Pirates have become affiliated with the Phoenix Coyotes, announcing a multi-year deal on Monday. The teams then announced that Ray Edwards would be head coach. . . . Brad Treliving, the Coyotes’ assistant GM, will serve as the Pirates’ GM. . . . The Coyotes had been affiliated with the San Antonio Rampage. . . . Edwards was 70-56-16 in two seasons as the Rampage’s head coach. . . . Portland was affiliated with the Buffalo Sabres for the last three seasons. However, the Sabres have purchased the Rochester Americans. . . . With Edwards gone, the Rampage, which seems to be headed for a hookup with the NHL’s Florida Panthers, coaching staff comprises assistants Brian Pellerin and Jeff Truitt. . . .
Geoff Smith, a former NHL D who had been an assistant coach with the Kamloops Blazers, has signed on as head coach of the junior B Kamloops Storm, a team that plays in the Kootenay International junior league. . . . Smith and fellow assistant Scott Ferguson were dropped by the Blazers after last season. . . .
Brent Heaven is the new GM/head coach of the KIJHL’s Creston Valley ThunderCats. He takes over from Joe Martin, who left to become assistant GM/assistant coach with the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Milan Bartovic (Brandon, Tri-City, 1999-2001) signed a contract with Liberec (Czech Republic Extraliga) after requesting and receiving his release from Atlant Moscow Oblast (Russia KHL). He had two goals and four assists in 23 games for Atlant this season. The contract with Liberec is through the 2012-2013 season. . . .
F Zdenek Blatny (Seattle, Kootenay, 1998-2001) signed a contract for the rest of the season with Kosice (Slovakia Extraliga). He had two goals and four assists in six games with the Hannover Indians (Germany 2.Bundesliga) earlier this season. . . .
F Frantisek Mrazek (Red Deer, 1997-99) signed a contract for the rest of this season after a successful tryout with the Landshut Cannibals (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He has six goals and three assists in 14 games for the Cannibals this season.
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The Portland Winterhawks say they expect D William Wrenn, 19, to sign with them now that he has left the U of Denver. Wrenn, a 19-year-old from Anchorage, was a second-round pick by the San Jose Sharks in the NHL’s 2009 draft. Portland listed him after the 2006 WHL bantam draft. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Wrenn has one assist in 18 games this season. Last season, as a freshman, he had seven assists in 23 games. . . . Before heading to Denver, Wrenn spent two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. . . . Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston said he first saw Wrenn at the 2009 IIHF U-18 world championship and “was very impressed with his overall game.” Johnston continued in a press release: “He is a big, mobile defenseman who plays with an edge. I liked how responsible he was defensively.”
There is a bit more from the Denver Post right here.
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The Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans will meet Feb. 21 in Kennewick, Wash., in a game rescheduled from Dec. 31. The teams actually began that game and got into the second period before it was postponed due to unsafe ice conditions. The game will be played in its entirety, meaning all statistics from the period and a bit that was played have been erased. . . . The Americans are at home to the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight.
For an update on the hole that caused so many problems — yes, it resurfaced on Monday — check out this right here.
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F Austin Fyten of the Lethbridge Hurricanes is the WHL’s player of the week after he put up 10 points in four games. . . . James Priestner of the Prince George Cougars is the WHL’s nominee as the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He went 2-0-0 with a shutout during the week. . . . D Austin Bourhis of the Prince Albert Raiders drew a one-game suspension for the charging major and game misconduct he incurred Jan. 1 in a game against the Pats in Regina. That same night, F Josh Cowen of the Red Deer Rebels got tossed from a game against the Blades in Saskatoon and has been suspended indefinitely for his actions. . . . The Kamloops Blazers lost F JC Lipon with an ankle injury during a 5-1 victory over the visiting Kelowna Rockets on Sunday. They are bringing in F Aspen Sterzer, 16, to play tonight against the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors. Sterzer, who is pointless in seven games with the Blazers this season, will return to the Calgary-based midget AAA EDGE academy team after the game. . . . For those who have asked, the WHL trade deadline arrives Monday at 3 p.m. Calgary time. . . . The SJHL’s Estevan Bruins have fired GM/head coach Karry Biette (Regina, 1990-94). Rick Oakes, the Bruins’ director of player personnel, is the interim GM, while assistant coach Chad Leslie is the new head coach. The Bruins (18-16-4) are fourth in the Sherwood Division, just three points out of second.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
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Taking Note on Twitter

Eberle signs with Warriors

By the time the Swift Current Broncos’ 3-1 loss to the visiting Spokane Chiefs was in the books on Saturday night, the home team was down to four defencemen.
Ernie Waldner, who follows the Broncos, noted on waldner.com: “The Broncos entered the game without D Joel Rogers, F Dillon Wagner, F Brenden Silvester, D Jordan Evans, F Taylor Vause, and F Killian Hutt, all out with injuries. . . . . The latter three were hurt (Friday) in Prince Albert. . . . . But wait . . . the news gets worse. . . . D Tanner Muth and D Ryan Aasman left (Saturday’s) game with injuries as well. . . .”
The Broncos are at home to the Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday night.
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One more note from Waldner.com:
“What's with the small crowds this year? . . . There is almost no one in the rink in time for the anthem and sometimes it's downright embarrassing. . . . How long can the Broncos survive in Swift Current with the fan support dwindling?”
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The Vancouver Giants, also hit hard by the injury bug, are “officially entering the trade market.” Or so general manager Scott Bonner told Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun over the weekend.
Pap reported that F Marek Tvrdon (shoulder) needs surgery and is gone until perhaps April. F Randy McNaught, who suffered a badly sprained ankle during a game in Kamloops on Oct. 11 has re-injured the ankle and now may need surgery. Either way, he’s out until mid-December or later.
And don’t forget that D Zach Hodder and F Connor Redmond both had offseason shoulder surgery and have yet to play. They should return after Christmas.
By the way . . . it's been a while since the Bonner boys have made a deal, hasn't it?
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Congratulations to the Saskatoon Blades.
It doesn’t matter whether or not you like the Canadian tuxedo jerseys — you know, the ones that look like denim — they are a huge success.
The jerseys, which the Blades will wear Friday when they play the visiting Portland Winterhawks, are a promotional deal that involves Wrangler and the Professional Bull Riders, who will wrap up their season with the finals in Saskatoon, Nov. 20.
The jerseys have gotten a lot of publicity in newspapers and blogs, and even got a mention on the ESPN SportsCenter.com blog.
Check it out right here.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed F Tanner Eberle, 16, of the midget AAA Tisdale Trojans. Eberle, a seventh-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft, has 14 points and 30 penalty minutes in 11 games with Tisdale. No, he is not a brother of former Regina Pats F Jordan Eberle. . . . The host Moose Jaw Warriors ran their winning streak to six games with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Sunday. F Quinton Howden was the only skater to score in the six-shooter shootout. Howden’s shot went off the cross-bar, hit Seattle G Calvin Pickard in the back, and trickled into the net. . . . Through OT, Pickard stopped 43 shots. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that the last time the Warriors won six in a row was Dec. 1-11, 2007. . . . The Warriors now are carrying four 20-year-olds and must get down to three by midnight on Nov. 19. F Brendan Rowinski returned to action Saturday for the first time this season, with F Dylan Hood the odd-man out. On Sunday, F Spencer Edwards, the team captain, drew the short straw. The other 20-year-old is G Thomas Heemskerk. . . .
G Mark Segal stopped 25 shots as the host Vancouver Giants blanked the Everett Silvertips, 3-0. It was Segal’s first shutout this season and the fifth of his career. . . . The Lethbridge Hurricanes made it three victories in as many nights as they doubled the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers, 4-2. Pat Siedlecki, the radio voice of the Hurricanes, says the last time the Hurricanes won three in a row was in October 2009. . . . The Hurricanes, at 9-6-0-3, are almost half way to last season’s victory total of 20. . . . Lethbridge continues to play without F Austin Fyten (foot), too. He has missed 12 games. . . . In Regina, F Chandler Stephenson scored his first two WHL goals as the Pats dumped the Brandon Wheat Kings 4-1 to avoid losing three times in as many nights. The Pats had been swept in a home-and-home series with Moose Jaw on Friday and Saturday nights. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone’s six-game goal-scoring streak came to an end Sunday in Regina.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
One minor:
Vancouver D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
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Taking Note on Twitter