Time for WHL to honour Kennedy? . . . Monarchs close in on Calder Cup . . . Parrish in coaching game

SHELDON KENNEDY

To say the last few months of Sheldon Kennedy’s life have been amazing would be something of an understatement.
Consider that . . .
On Dec. 26, it was announced that he would receive the Order of Canada, which recognizes “outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation.”
On May 12, the Manitoba government announced that Kennedy, who is from Elkhorn, Man., will be inducted into the Order of Manitoba on July 9. This is Manitoba’s way of recognizing, according to the Winnipeg Sun, “people who have demonstrated excellence and achievement in any field of endeavour, benefiting the social, cultural or economic well-being of Manitoba and its residents.”
On May 25, the U of Guelph announced that Kennedy would receive the 2015 Lincoln Alexander Outstanding Leader Award. According to the university, the award “honours exemplary and dedicated Canadian leaders whose careers have included groundbreaking, socially significant pursuits.”
On June 8, the U of Calgary honoured Kennedy by presenting him with an honourary degree, Doctor of Laws. According to a news release from the university, the honourary degree “is the University of Calgary’s highest academic honour, bestowed on individuals whose notable achievements and community service merit recognition.”
These awards follow such honours as being named Calgary’s Citizen of the Year for 2012, a Scotiabank Humanitarian Award and the 2014 David Foster Foundation Humanitarian Award.
In making its announcement the U of Calgary referred to Kennedy as “Canada’s finest role model.”
Here’s more from the U of Calgary’s news release:
“Kennedy’s decision to go public with charges against his former junior hockey coach brought the issue of child sexual abuse to the social forefront. He has become an unofficial, international spokesperson for abuse survivors and has made personal appearances on Oprah, ABC’s Nightline, W-5 and The Fifth Estate. Kennedy was named Canada’s newsmaker of the year in 1997 and his life story was made into an award-winning television movie, The Sheldon Kennedy Story, which aired in 1999.
“In 2013, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the official naming of the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre, a first-of-its-kind facility that utilizes a collaborative model for investigating and treating child abuse. Kennedy serves on the centre’s board and continues to influence social change through Respect Group, the company he co-founded to provide empowering online education for the prevention of abuse, bullying and harassment in youth.”
For more on what is happening with the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre, click right here.
Kennedy, who will turn 46 on June 15, played three seasons with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos (1986-89), and it was during that time when he was sexually abused by Graham James, the team’s general manager and head coach.
Kennedy went on to a nine-season professional career that included 310 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins. But he was a broken man and wasn’t nearly the player he could have been under different circumstances.
To have known Kennedy then and to see what he has made of his life is to have witnessed a most remarkable transformation. In so doing, Kennedy has become one of the most influential and most respected people in our country.
Unfortunately, I don’t believe the WHL has an award for people in Kennedy’s situation. The WHL’s Governors and Distinguished Service awards are given to people who have contributed to the WHL and/or its teams in a distinguished fashion.
Perhaps it’s time the WHL inaugurated an award for former WHLers — players, coaches, front-office types, owners, whomever — who have gone on to bigger and better things outside the league.
Perhaps it could be called the Sheldon Kennedy Award.
Perhaps Sheldon Kennedy could be the first recipient.
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F Ben Maxwell (Kootenay, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with Sochi (Russia, KHL). This season, Maxwell was an alternate captain with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). In 46 games, he had 14 goals and 13 assists. . . . He also played 12 regular-season games with league-champion Kärpät Oulu (Finland, Liiga), scoring three times and adding three assists. In 19 playoff games, he had seven goals and five assists. . . .
F Colton Yellow Horn (Lethbridge, Tri-City, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga). This season, with the Nippon Paper Cranes Kushiro (Japan, Asia HL), he had team highs in goals (21), assists (38) and points (59). He also led the team, at plus-23.
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In the AHL, the visiting Manchester Monarchs scored three second-period goals en route to a 6-3 victory over the Utica Comets in Game 4 of the Calder Cup final series. . . . The Monarchs, who are affiliated with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, hold a 3-1 lead in the series, with Game 5 in Utica tonight. . . . Manchester, which was founded in 2001, has never won the Calder Cup. The Monarchs will move to Ontario, Calif., after this season. . . . The Monarchs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, but the Comets, who are affiliated with the Vancouver Canucks, tied it before the period ended. . . . The Monarchs broke the tie with two PP goals and then F Nic Dowd got his second goal of the game at 19:49. . . . F Sven Baertschi scored his eighth playoff goal for the Comets. . . . Monarchs G Patrik Bartosak (Red Deer, 2011-14) stopped 22 shots as he made his first pro playoff start. . . . Attendance was 3,835.
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Oscar Johnson, who worked on the medical staff with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies, has pleaded guilty to one charge involving the prescription of painkillers that may have ended up in the hands of the late Derek Boogaard. . . . Benjamin Weiser and John Branch of The New York Times have more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:

Mark Parrish is the new head coach of the boys’ hockey team at Orono High School in Orono, Minn. Parrish, who played one season with the Seattle Thunderbirds (1997-98), retired as a player following the 2011-12 season. He began helping with the Orono hockey team late this season. . . . There’s more right here.
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THE CONCUSSION REPORT:

“The lawsuit against a Thayer Academy high school field hockey coach, accused of putting a player on the field with a concussion, highlights the need for player safety protocols, doctors and coaches say,” writes Lindsay Kalter of the Boston Herald.
“A Superior Court judge ruled that Amy Dugan, a junior at Braintree’s Thayer Academy in 2011, can sue coach Erin Cash for negligence. According to the decision in which a judge denied the defendant’s motion to dismiss, the player was hit in the head with a field hockey ball, and the coach failed to get the player evaluated.
“The player was put in a game five days later, when she suffered a second head injury.”
Kalter’s story is right here.

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WHL's playoff situation . . . One spot up for grabs. . . . Coach has upper-body injury

With no WHL games on Thursday night, let’s take a team-by-team look at the playoff situation.
The truth of the matter is that there isn’t much left to be decided, even though each of the 22 teams has at least 15 games remaining.
With the WHL having gone to a new playoff format — top three teams from each division plus two wild-card teams from each conference get in — there really is only one of 16 playoff spots still up in the air. That would be third place in the B.C. Division.
Oh, there are teams that aren’t in playoff position right now but haven’t been eliminated. But when you’re seven and eight points back with fewer than 20 games to play in this era of loser points, well, the odds really aren’t in your favour.
Anyway . . . under this new playoff format, I couldn’t decide if division, conference or overall standings mean more. So I wasn’t sure how to list the teams here; heck, I even considered doing it by alphabetical order.
In the end, I chose to use the conference standings . . .

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Brandon (87 points, 17 games remaining): Moved into first place in overall standings by winning four games in five days on Central Division trip last week. . . . Now trail Kelowna by one point in the overall standings. Each team has played 55 games. . . . The Wheaties are 12-0-1 in their last 13 games. . . . Likely to meet Kootenay or Edmonton in first round. . . . Need to get healthy, as F Jayce Hawryluk, D Kale Clague and D Ivan Provolov are injured.
2. Medicine Hat (75/17): Appeared home free not that long ago, but injuries and a Calgary hot streak have made it interesting. . . . Tigers lead the Central Division by six points over Calgary. . . . Tigers have been sputtering of late and are 5-4-1 in their last 10. . . . Were swept in weekend home-and-home series with last-place Lethbridge. . . . Should have D Tommy Vannelli (finger) back in early March. . . . Finish atop the Central Division and get Kootenay or Edmonton in the first round. Finish second and it’s likely Red Deer.
3. Calgary (69/18): The Hitmen have won nine in a row to close to within six points of Medicine Hat. . . . There aren’t any injuries. . . . Could end up with seven 20-goal scorers. . . . Have nine skaters with at least 30 points, including 16-year-old Jake Bean, who has set a franchise record for points by a freshman defenceman. . . . G Brendan Burke is 5-1-1, 2.23, .914 in seven appearances since coming over from Portland at the trade deadline.
4. Regina (66/19): Will finish a comfortable second in the division. Chances are Regina, which is second in the East Division, will get a first-round matchup with third-place Swift Current. . . . They meet tonight in Regina in a game both teams will treat as a playoff preview. . . . Two of Regina’s top scorers — F Adam Brooks and F Taylor Cooper — are injured. Brooks is listed as being out for up to two weeks, while Cooper is indefinite. . . . Cooper has 15 points, nine of them goals, in 13 games since being acquired from Lethbridge at the trade deadline.
5. Red Deer (64/19): The Rebels returned home late Sunday from a quick B.C. trip on which they won the opener and then lost two straight. Worse, they lost F Conner Bleackley, their captain, in the second game. He had scored twice in a 3-2 victory in Kamloops and added another goal two nights later in Vancouver before leaving with an undisclosed injury. He is questionable for two weekend home games. . . . They are third in the Central Division, five points behind Calgary. Those two are likely first-round opponents.
6. Kootenay (57/17): The Ice holds down the conference’s first wild-card spot and is seven points behind Red Deer, which is third in the Central Division. . . . With four 20-goal scorers, you can bet no one will be too eager to meet the Ice in the playoffs. . . . The first wild-card spot likely gets Medicine Hat; the second one draws Brandon. . . . D Tanner Faith (shoulder) is finished for this season. . . . G Wyatt Hoflin has played in 51 games. Can you name the Ice’s backup goaltender?
7. Edmonton (56/15): The Oil Kings are coming off a 1-3-0 swing into the B.C. Division during which they scored only six goals. . . . Their roster includes one 20-goal scorer — F Brett Pollock has 25. . . . Veteran forwards Edgars Kulda and Mads Eller have combined for 11 goals. . . . So you know where Edmonton’s problems are right now. . . . The defending Memorial Cup champions are in possession of the conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . If the Oil Kings finish there, they will get Brandon in the first round. . . . You know that G Tristan Jarry will give the Oil Kings confidence when the playoffs start.
8. Swift Current (55/18): The Broncos are eighth in the conference, but their third-place standing in the East Division — if it doesn’t change — will have them meeting Regina in the first round. . . . G Landon Bow has appeared in 50 games. Can you name the Broncos’ backup? . . . Sophomore F Jake DeBrusk is having an MVP-type season, with 33 goals and 24 assists in 54 games. . . . D Dillon Heatherington, who was injured shortly after returning from being part of Team Canada’s winning effort at the WJC, should return in time for the playoffs. . . . The Broncos have allowed 17 more goals than they’ve scored and that’s something that will have to change if they are to have playoff success.
9. Prince Albert (48/16): The Raiders are fourth in the East Division, seven points behind Swift Current. . . . The Raiders are eight points out of the conference’s second wild-card position. . . . When they look back at this season, they will realize their record on home-ice — they are 11-15-1 — wasn’t nearly good enough. . . . They have only five players with at least 10 goals and two of them came over from Kelowna in mid-season trades. . . . Prince Albert is 16-22-2 under head coach Marc Habscheid, who replaced Cory Clouston (6-9-0).
10. Moose Jaw (46/18): The Warriors have lost their last two games, the latest a 6-3 setback in Lethbridge on Wednesday. That was the first of seven straight road games. . . . The Warriors are 7-18-1 on the road. . . . They are nine points out of third place in the East Division and 10 points out of the conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . The Warriors have enough offence to win, with the likes of Brayden Point, Jack Rodewald and Tanner Eberle on the roster, but they have allowed 47 more goals than they have scored.
11. Lethbridge (38/18): The Hurricanes are playing for next season, but you can bet the players felt like they won a playoff series when they swept a home-and-home series from Central Division-leading Medicine Hat on the weekend. . . . Lethbridge is five points ahead of Saskatoon in the race to avoid the WHL cellar. . . . The Hurricanes were 6-19-5 under head coach Drake Berehowsky. They are 10-13-1 with Peter Anholt in charge.
12. Saskatoon (33/19): The Blades also are playing for next season. . . . They have used 41 different players, including five goaltenders, this season.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Kelowna (88/17): The Rockets are back atop the overall standings after an absence of a few hours over the weekend. They lead Brandon by one point, with each team having played 55 games. . . . It’s been a long time since the Rockets have been challenged — they lead the Western Conference by 15 points and the B.C. Division by 24 — and they know they are going to have to play better than they have been if they are to make a run into May. . . . The first-round opponent is likely to be Spokane or Tri-City. . . . F Tyson Baillie, who has 32 goals, is sidelined with a concussion. They need him healthy for a deep playoff run. . . . G Jackson Whistle, who is 31-7-3 and has been in 42 games, had his appendix removed on Friday. They’re OK without him in the short term, but he’s the guy for the playoff run.
2. Everett (73/17): The Silvertips lead the U.S. Division by seven points over Portland. Each team has played 55 games. . . . Despite their record, the Silvertips have shown a propensity for third-period woes that has to be causing concern for head coach Kevin Constantine. . . . The way things are now, Everett will get Spokane or Tri-City in the first round. . . . G Austin Lotz, F Nikita Scherbak, who is a game-breaker, and disciplined play make the Silvertips a formidable playoff opponent. . . . Interestingly, the second least-penalized team in the league is No. 1 in bench minors.
3. Portland (66/17): The Winterhawks are 8-1-1 in their last 10 as they make a late-season push after an ugly start to their season. . . . They are second in the U.S. Division and could be headed to a first-round clash with Seattle. . . . G Adin Hill has proven his worth — 20-8-1, 2.85, .924. . . . In the conference, only Kelowna has scored more goals. . . . F Oliver Bjorkstrand is the WHL’s best pure goal scorer. He’s got 37 goals in 42 games this season. . . . The Winterhawks have been in four straight WHL championship finals. That experience and their talent on offence will frighten any opponent.
4. Victoria (64/18): The Royals will finish second, but may not know their first-round opponent until the last weekend of the regular season. The Royals have won four in a row and are 8-1-1 in their last 10, so seem to rounding into playoff form. . . . They’ve got competent goaltending in Coleman Vollrath and Justin Paulic. They’ve got game-breakers up front in Austin Carroll, Brandon Magee, Greg Chase and a quickly maturing Tyler Soy. They get offence from defencemen Joe Hicketts and Travis Brown. They also play team defence. . . . A Kelowna-Victoria series at some point would be worth watching.
5. Seattle (62/18): The Thunderbirds are third in the U.S. Division, six points ahead of Spokane. A third-place finish likely means a first-round meeting with Portland and we all know how much fun that would be. . . . The Thunderbirds have the goaltending (Taran Kozun), the defence (led by Shea Theodore) and the depth up front to cause problems in the playoffs. But they need to play with discipline to have success and so far consistency in that department has escaped them. . . . Still, forwards Mathew Barzal, Ryan Gropp and Roberts Lipsbergs, along with Theodore, will create enough on offence to concern other teams.
6. Spokane (56/18): The Chiefs are 2-2-0 on a late-season East Division swing that continues tonight in Brandon. . . . The Chiefs, who hold down the conference’s first wild-card spot, have been shut out in five of their last 11 games. . . . The onus here has to be on getting healthy. When they have all hands on deck, the Chiefs can play with anyone. . . . A few games ago they scratched nine injured skaters and an ill goaltender. . . . F Calder Brooks, who has 37 points, including 15 goals, in 35 games with Spokane, hasn’t played since Jan. 3 and they need to get him back. They are 5-12-1 without him.
7. Tri-City (55/17): Like the Chiefs, the Americans need to get healthy. They got F Brian Williams back but now have lost F Parker Bowles, who leads them in assists (31) and points (44). . . . They are in possession of the conference’s second wild-card spot, and are just a point behind Spokane. . . . The first wild-card spot likely gets Everett in the first round, with the second wild-card spot meeting Kelowna. . . .
8. Vancouver (49/17): The Giants are third in the B.C. Division, meaning they are part of the only real race for a playoff spot left in the WHL. . . . They hold a one-point lead over Kamloops and are three ahead of Prince George. . . . The Giants have won two in a row but are 4-5-1 in their last 10. . . . They are 13-11-3 under head coach Claude Noel, who replaced Troy Ward on Nov. 26. . . . F Matt Bellerive (illness) is out week-to-week. . . . The Giants have two games left with Kamloops, but none with Prince George. . . . Vancouver, with eight of its 17 remaining games scheduled for home ice, also has four games left with Kelowna and three with Victoria.
9. Kamloops (48/16): The Blazers had a brief taste of third place in the B.C. Division last week, but now trail Vancouver by one point. . . . Third place means a first-round matchup with Victoria. . . . The Blazers’ defensive play has improved along with the confidence shown by G Connor Ingram. . . . Kamloops also has a forward line — Matt Needham between Cole Ully and Deven Sideroff — than can score with the best of them. . . . Four of the Blazers’ last five games will be against Prince George. . . . Kamloops also will play Kelowna three more times — the Rockets are riding a 17-game regular-season winning streak against the Blazers.
10. Prince George (46/15): With the Canada Winter Games taking over their city, the Cougars are on the road, where they are 10-15-2. . . . They are 0-0-1 on a four-game dip into the Central Division that continues tonight in Medicine Hat. . . . They have nine road games remaining and six at home. . . . They recently lost 12 in a row so it’s amazing that they still have a chance at the playoffs. . . . As often happens with the Cougars, they have fought injuries through most of the season. D Josh Connolly, who was acquired from Kamloops at the trade deadline, is concussed. The Cougars need him back to run their power play. . . . With four of their last six games against Kamloops, including three in four nights to end the season, this chase might come right down to the end.
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F Ben Maxwell (Kootenay, 2003-08) has signed for the rest of this season with Kärpät Oulu (Finland, Liiga) after being released by mutual agreement from Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). The club is having financial issues. This season, Maxwell, an alternate captain, had 14 goals and 13 assists in 46 games.
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OK, enough is enough. This upper- and lower-body stuff has gone too far.
Ryan McGill, the head coach of the Kootenay Ice, wasn’t available for a 6-3 victory over the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers on Wednesday night.
He also missed practice on Thursday.
As Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman writes: “McGill was absent from practice Thursday afternoon as he continues to nurse what has been officially labelled by the organization as an upper-body injury. He remains a game-time decision for Friday's tilt with the Warriors.”
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Rocca also reports that the Ice has brought in G Declan Hobbs, 16, from the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. A third-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft, Hobbs is 15-11-0, 3.62, .902 with the Contacts. He is expected to spend the weekend with the Ice, before returning to Saskatoon on Monday. He isn’t expected to play for the Ice; the club’s management just wants to give him a taste of WHL life.
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Alison Gordon didn’t get a lot of recognition as the first female beat writer to cover a Major League Baseball team. But that’s exactly who she was when she covered the Toronto Blue Jays for the Toronto Star. Gordon, who spent five years on the beat starting in 1979, died Thursday in Toronto. Brendan Kennedy of the Star has more right here.
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D Andrew Alberts of the Vancouver Canucks took a brutal hit just 51 seconds into an NHL game on Dec. 29, 2013. He didn’t know it at the time, but that hit signalled the end of his NHL career. What followed was months of concussion hell. Now he just wants a life without headaches. . . . Dan Murphy of Sportsnet has more right here.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
No Games Scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES
(all times local)
Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Saskatoon at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Lethbridge at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Tri-City at Portland, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Everett, 7:35 p.m.

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New logo for Hurricanes? . . . Concussions in the news

D Robby Sandrock (Spokane, Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Kelowna, 1994-99) has signed a one-year extension with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). Last season, Sandrock had 51 points, including 13 goals, in 59 games. He led the league’s defencemen in assists and was named to the first all-star team.

F Ben Maxwell (Kootenay, 2003-08) has signed a one-year contract with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). Last season, with Kärpät Oulu (Finland, Liiga), he had 42 points, 16 of them goals, in 49 games, finishing ninth in the league’s scoring race. Maxwell got the primary assists on the Game 6 game-winning goal (a 3-2 victory) and winner and on the Game 7 OT goal (1-0) in the league final. Kärpät had been down 3-1 in the series.
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1. A Thursday afternoon tweet from Lethbridge lawyer David van Moorsel, who specializes in the fields of business and trademarks: “Lethbridge Hurricanes are seeking trademark protection for a new logo. Looks like it's original this time.” The details are right here. . . . The Hurricanes moved from Calgary over the summer of 1987, and when their nickname was announced, Pat Sullivan of the Lethbridge Herald wrote that with a nickname like that the logo should be an overturned mobile home.

2. F Troy Bourke, the captain of the Prince George Cougars, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. Bourke was a third-round selection by the Avalanche in the NHL’s 2012 draft. . . . According to capgeek.com, Bourke’s deal calls for NHL salaries of US$610,000, $640,000 and $645,000, with an AHL salary of $60,000 each season. He got a signing bonus of $195,000, payable in three installments -- $60,000, $65,000 and $70,000. . . . Bourke, 20, is the Prince George franchise’s all-time leading scorer. He put up 85 points, including 29 goals, in 69 games last season. In 276 career regular-season games, he has 236 points, including 84 goals . . . Bourke finished last season with the Lake Erie Monsters, Colorado’s AHL affiliate, picking up seven points, three of them goals, in 15 games.

3. If you watched Tuesday’s Stanley Cup game between the New York Rangers and host Montreal, you saw Canadiens F Dale Weise take a hit to the hit and need help getting off the ice. You also saw him return to the game a bit later. . . . If you are at all aware of the concussion problem in hockey, you were wondering how it was that Weise was allowed back on the ice. . . . David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail has written an interesting piece on the NHL and concussions, and it’s right here. . . . Feel free to take out NHL and insert WHL, because things are pretty much the same in the major junior league.

4. Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star also was writing about Montreal F Dale Weise and it’s obvious that Arthur is wondering just how it is that Weise was allowed to re-enter a game he had left in such wobbly condition. . . . Arthur’s column is right here.

5. You know concussions are a serious issue when the White House gets involved, which is what happened Thursday as President Obama convened a gathering of top sports executives and researchers to discuss the situation. Michael D. Shear and Ken Belson of The New York Times have more right here.

6. If you’re wondering what’s going on between the CFL and the CFLPA, check this out right here. Andrew Bucholtz of Yahoo! Sports Canada has broken it down and his report includes charts that make things easy to understand.

7. Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post hits another home run right here as he tries to figure out just what is going on with the Washington Nationals.

8. The Vancouver Giants have signed F Brendan Semchuk, the 10th overall selection in the 2014 WHL bantam draft. Semchuk, from Kamloops, had 77 points, 45 of them goals, with the bantam Tier 1 A1 Blazers.

9. The headline reads: Crocodile injured by falling accountant during circus bus accident in Russia. . . . You are able to read about it right here. Seriously.

10. You may be aware of the Internet scam in which NBAer Chris Andersen, the Birdman, found himself caught up in not that long ago. It’s an amazing story and makes for a great read. Flinder Boyd of Newsweek has it all right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press reported Thursday night that the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers will name Don Elland as their head coach today. Elland has been an assistant coach with the Whalers for four seasons. . . . Elland, 50, will replace Mike Vellucci as head coach. Vellucci, who had been with the Whalers for 14 seasons, left to become assistant GM and director of hockey operations with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. . . . The Whalers and Hurricanes both are owned by Peter Karmanos Jr.
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Dave Allison is the new head coach of the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers. Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports that the announcement is to made this morning. . . . Allison has coach in Des Moines before, as he was the head coach of the AHL’s Iowa Stars for three seasons. He also was hired to coach the Buccaneers once before but, as Birch wrote: “(Allison) never took the ice for a game due to work-permit visa issues. He instead took a job as a scout with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.” . . . Last season, Allison was an assistant coach with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. . . . With Des Moines, Allison replaces Jon Rogger, who spent two seasons as head coach. . . . The Buccaneers have missed the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons.
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From Bob Irving (@BobIrvingCJOB), the long-time voice of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on CJOB: “Shame on the cfl and the players association. Wake up folks, you are on the verge of damaging a grand Cdn institution, perhaps permanently.”

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Conacher lands in Utica

What does a WHL general manager do in the days leading up to the opening
of training camp? Well, if you're Cameron Hope, the GM of the Victoria
Royals, you spend some time playing miniature golf. This picture was posted
on the Royals' Twitter account, but didn't reveal how he did on the windmill
hole or the one that features the clown's face.

THE MacBETH REPORT:

F Ben Maxwell (Kootenay, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with Kärpät Oulu (Finland, SM-Liiga). He had 11 goals and 29 assists in 74 games with the St. John’s Ice Caps (AHL) last season. . . .



D Dustin Kohn (Calgary, Brandon, 2003-07) signed a two-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). He had one goal and two assists in 19 games with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga) last season. Kohn will also attend the Sheffield University Management School while playing with the Steelers.
To make room for Kohn on the roster, Sheffield released D Rod Sarich (Calgary, 1996-2002). Sarich had seven goals and 30 assists in 57 games with the Steelers last season. Sarich was pointless in three games for Great Britain in the Olympic 1ualifying tournament last season. Steelers head coach Doug Christiansen: “Rod Sarich has been a loyal member of the Steelers and has been a massive part of the success the club has enjoyed over the last eight years. I hope Rod can stay involved in the club and help grow the game we all love. He deserves massive recognition for his efforts and loyalty."
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Former Regina Pats head coach Pat Conacher has been named director of hockey operations for the Utica Comets. The Comets are the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. . . . Conacher spent the past two seasons as the Pats’ head coach. He resigned rather unexpectedly on May 8. . . . Conacher played parts of three AHL seasons in Utica when the NHL’s New Jersey Devils had their affiliate there. . . . The Canucks also announced that Paul Jerrard and Nolan Baumgartner (Kamloops, 1992-96) will serve as head coach Travis Green’s assistants. . . . Jerrard was an assistant with the Dallas Stars last season, while Baumgartner was on the staff of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, who were affiliated with Vancouver.
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F Alex Forsberg has decided to return to the Prince George Cougars. . . . Kelly Friesen (@KellyFriesen) tweeted: “Alex Forsberg has made the decision to return to Prince George next year to play for the Cougars.” . . . Later, Hartley Miller (@Hartley_Miller) tweeted: “@PGCougars GM @DallasWThompson has confirmed that Alex Forsberg has decided to return to PG & will be at the Cougars camp this month. @94XFM” . . . Forsberg, the first overall selection in the WHL’s 2010 bantam draft, asked the Cougars for a trade during the Christmas break last season. When nothing happened, he joined the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos. . . . Forsberg had 19 points in 31 games with the Cougars when he left. He had 14 points in 14 regular-season games with the Broncos. . . . Forsberg was eligible for the NHL draft for the first time in 2013, but he wasn’t in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, nor was he drafted.
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D Dallas Ehrhardt (Moose Jaw, Prince George, 2009-13) has signed with the ECHL’s Evansville IceMen. . . . The IceMen are affiliated with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets and the AHL’s Springfield Falcons. . . . The 6-foot-4, 226-pound Ehrhardt had 23 points in 62 games with the Cougars last season.
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Tragedy struck the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Monday when F Jordan Boyd, 16, collapsed and died during a training camp session. . . . Players apparently were doing wind sprints when, according to QMJHL director of communications Photi Sotiropoulos, Boyd felt some discomfort and went down. . . . He was taken by ambulance to hospital in Bathurst, N.B., where he was pronounced dead. . . . An autopsy will be held to determine the cause of death. . . . Boyd had undergone a complete medical test before being cleared for camp. . . . Boyd was a fourth-round selection by the Titan in the QMJHL’s 2013 draft.
Dan Arsenault of the Halifax Chronicle Herald has more right here.
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The Kelowna-based Okanagan Rockets of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League have signed two players who were first-round selections in the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft. . . . F Tyson Jost of Leduc, Alta., was taken seventh overall by the Everett Silvertips. He had 156 points, including 77 goals, in 49 games with a bantam team at the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna. . . . F Jake Kryski was taken by the Prince Albert Raiders with the 13th selection and later traded to the Kamloops Blazers in a deal that had G Cole Cheveldave, 20, heading east. Kryski, who is from Vancouver, had 118 points, 59 of them goals, with the bantam A1 team at the Burnaby Winter Club last season.

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