Giants hire assistant coach . . . OHL's Greyhounds get head coach . . . Nachbaur to Wenatchee

Peter Young, an old friend and a former CTV sportscaster, sent me this
photo from Winnipeg on Friday. That's Chicago Blackhawks captain
Jonathan Toews leading some boys to a Winnipeg park for a game
of ball hockey. Yes, they played for the Stanley Cup.

F Edgars Kulda (Edmonton, 2012-15) signed a tryout contract with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL). Last season, with Edmonton, he had 13 goals and 17 assists in 47 games. . . .
F Johnny Lazo (Tri-City, 2006-10) signed a one-year contract with Sterzing/Vipiteno (Italy, Serie A). Last season, with the University of Alberta (CIS), he had 19 points, 10 of them goals, in 24 games. He was an alternate captain. . . .
D Cam Barker (Medicine Hat, 2001-06) signed a one-year extension with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, he had nine assists in 18 games.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers haven’t increased their portion of season-ticket prices, but fees associated with a new building have resulted in an increase. That includes a $77.40 city-imposed facility fee. As well, a new Ticketmaster service charge has been implemented. . . . Peggy Revell of the Medicine Hat News has more right here.
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The five teams in the AHL’s Pacific Division will play 68 games in 2015-16, while all other teams will play 76. On Friday, the league announced how it will determine its playoff teams:
“Teams will receive two points for a win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss. The top four teams in each division ranked by points percentage (points earned divided by points available) will qualify for the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs, with one exception in each conference: if the fifth-place team in the Atlantic or Central Division finishes with a better points percentage than the fourth-place team in the North or Pacific Division, it would cross over and compete in the other division’s bracket.”
This will be interesting to watch unfold because of the three-point games that feature the loser point.
The AHL also will use the five-minute 3-on-3 overtime periods, followed by the three-skater shootouts, if necessary.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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A source familiar with the situation told Taking Note on Friday afternoon that the Vancouver Giants have hired Tyler Kuntz as an assistant coach. He spent last season as the head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds. . . . Prior to taking over as head coach, Kuntz was a UBC assistant coach for four seasons. . . . He also played five seasons with the Thunderbirds. . . . In the Vancouver area, he also worked as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Burnaby Express and the major midget North West Giants.
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The OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds named Drew Bannister their newest head coach on Friday evening. He replaces Sheldon Keefe, who now is head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. . . . Bannister, 41, spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Owen Sound Attack. . . . A defenceman in his playing days, Bannister played four seasons with the Greyhounds, winning two OHL titles and appearing in three straight Memorial Cups. He was on the Soo team that won it all in 1993. He went on to play 18 years as a pro.
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The BCHL’s Merritt Centennials have added Matt Samson as an assistant coach. He had been the general manager and head coach of the junior B North Van Wolf Pack of the Pacific Junior Hockey League.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds are in the market for an equipment manager after announcing Friday that Ben Calkins is joining the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Calkins will be a co-equipment manager, with Matt Brayfield, with the Gulls. Calkins spent four seasons with the Thunderbirds. . . . If you are interested in the Thunderbirds’ position, send cover letter and resume to Hunter Cherni, the team’s hockey operations assistant, at hunter@seattlethunderbirds.com.
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F Daniel Nachbaur, 20, has been traded by the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings to the Wenatchee Wild. He is the first player with previous BCHL experience to be added to the Wild’s roster as it prepares for its first season in the league. . . . Nachbaur, the son of Spokane Chiefs head coach Don Nachbaur, was traded for future considerations. He had four points in an injury-plagued 2014-15 season split between the Merritt Centennials and Prince George. . . . He is no stranger to Wenatchee, having played for a U-18 team there in 2011-12.
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Andrei Platonov dissolved his contract with Spartak, will join @tigershockey #WHL #hockey #prospect

— AlessandroSerenRosso (@AlexSerenRosso) July 10, 2015

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THE COACHING GAME:
The Swift Current Broncos have added Andy Schneider to their coaching staff as an assistant. He’ll work with GM/head coach Mark Lamb and assistant coach Darren Evjen. Schneider, 39, played 15 seasons in Europe and is a member of the Broncos Hall of Fame. He played four seasons with the Broncos (1989-93), finishing with 367 points in 300 games. . . . The only other time in franchise history when the Broncos employed two assistant coaches was 1998-2001 when Andrew Milne was in the role as the second assistant. . . . The Southwest Booster has more on Schneider's role right here. . . .
Vladimir Vujtek, 64, is the new head coach of the Slovakian national hockey team. He replaces Glen Hanlon, who was released after the 2011 world championship. Vujtek is the first Czech to coach the Slovakian team, which means this is a big, big story in the world of international hockey. . . . Hanlon now is an assistant coach with the Vancouver Giants. . . .
Hockey Canada has hired Ron Tugnutt as its goaltender coach. Tugnutt will work with the national men’s teams on a full-time basis. Tugnutt, 43, is no stranger to Hockey Canada, having been a part-timer for two years. . . . According to a Hockey Canada news release, “Tugnutt will be scouting for Canada’s national men’s teams as well as working with Hockey Canada’s development department to develop and improve resources for goaltenders and goaltending coaches. Tugnutt will continue to work closely with Canada’s National Junior Team and National Men’s Under-18 Team, scouting and assisting goaltenders for Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence.” . . .
Brian Kilrea, the winningest coach in major junior hockey history, has decided to step aside as general manager of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s. Kilrea, 76, spent 37 years with the franchise and will continue to do some scouting for them. Chris Byrne, 37, will add the GM’s duties to his role has head coach. He is preparing for his third season as head coach after taking over behind the bench from Kilrea, who won 1,193 games during his coaching career. . . .
The Victoria Royals have rounded out their coaching staff with the hiring of Craig Didmon, who will work home practices and home games. Last season, he was the head coach of the major midget South Island Thunderbirds. . . . He joins GM/head coach Marc Habscheid, assistant coach Enio Sacilotto, who was with the club last season when it was the Chilliwack Bruins, and Ben Cooper, who has worked in video with Hockey Canada and also as an assistant coach with the SAIT Trojans in Calgary. . . .
Bob Dever has signed on as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters. Dever spent the last three seasons coaching in Hungary. . . . He has previous BCHL experience with the Vernon Vipers and Merritt Centennials. Dever and Bill Birks, Trail’s general manager and head coach, played together with Merritt back in the day.
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JUST NOTES: Ben Calkins is the new equipment manager with the Seattle Thunderbirds. He spent last season with the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder. Calkins, 24, replaces Jason Berger, who now is with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. . . . The Victoria Royals have named Jeff Harris the director of hockey operations and communications, with Parry Shockey coming on board as director of WHL and junior A scouting. Harris, 39, spent the last four seasons as assistant GM and director of media and community relations with the now-defunct Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL. Shockey, 57, is well known across the WHL. He will work out of Calgary. Last season he was head coach of the midget AAA UFA Bisons. He has WHL coaching experience with the Spokane Chiefs, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Regina Pats and Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Royals also hired Andy Neal and Matt Human as managers of communications and hockey operations co-ordinators. Neal spent the last two seasons in Prince George doing media relations; last season, he also was the team’s play-by-play voice. Human worked in the media relations and communications department with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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