Wakabayashi's life quite a story . . . Pats sign two draft picks . . . Ranford a Hall of Famer

D Brad Cole (Seattle, Kootenay, Saskatoon, 2003-07) signed a one-year contract with Ritten/Renon (Italy, Serie A). Last season, with the Alaska Aces (ECHL), Cole had eight goals and 21 assists in 69 games.
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“Herb Wakabayashi overcame a diminutive physique to skate in three Winter Olympics as a hockey player – not for his Canadian birthplace, but for his ancestral homeland of Japan,” writes Tom Hawthorn in The Globe and Mail. “His achievement was all the more poignant owing to the circumstances of his birth in an Ontario internment camp during the Second World War.” . . . Wakabayashi died in Japan on June 2. He was 70. . . . His is a remarkable story, and Hawthorn tells it right here.
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If you are a fan of the Brandon Wheat Kings, there is a piece that you should read that is all about D Oliver Kylington, the 18-year-old from Sweden who signed with the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. His WHL rights belong to the Wheat Kings and he still could end up in Brandon. Darren Haynes, who covers the Flames for The Canadian Press, chronicles Kylington’s story right here.
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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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Serge Lajoie has stepped down after five seasons as head coach of the NAIT Ooks to take over as head coach of the U of Alberta Golden Bears, who are two-time defending CIS champions. Lajoie, 46, replaces Ian Herbers, who left earlier in the week to become an assistant coach with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. . . . Lajoie is a former Alberta player and assistant coach. He won CIS titles in 2006 and 2008 as an assistant coach under head coach Eric Thurston, after winning it all in 1992 as a player. In 1993, he was the CIS player of the year. . . . Speculation has associate coach Mike Gabinet replacing Lajoie at NAIT.
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Jason Lammers has left UMass-Lowell, where he was associate coach, to take over as general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. . . . Lammers, 39, takes over from Matt Shaw, who now is an assistant coach at North Dakota. . . . Lammers had been at Lowell since 2011.
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The Montreal Canadiens signed D Ryan Johnston, 23, to a two-year, two-way contract earlier this week. Johnston, a free agent who is from Sudbury, played three seasons of NCAA hockey with the Colgate Red Raiders. He is the nephew of Mike Johnston, the former Portland Winterhawks general manager and head coach who now is head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. . . . Ryan’s sister, Rebecca, has two Olympic gold medals from her career with Canada’s national women’s team.
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The Regina Pats have signed two players who were late selections in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . D Adam Sandstrom, a 10th-round selection, is from Red Deer. He had five points, including one goal, in 13 games in an injury-shortened last season with the midget AAA Red Deer Aero Equipment Chiefs. . . . F Robbie Holmes, an 11th-round pick, is from Sherwood Park, Alta. He had 32 points, 16 of them goals, in 31 games with the midget AAA Sherwood Park Squires. . . . Regina now has signed six of nine players selected in the 2014 bantam draft.
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Former WHL/NHL G Bill Ranford (New Westminster, 1983-86) will be one of the inductees into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame when the 38th annual induction ceremony is held Nov. 15 at Winnipeg’s Victoria Inn. Ranford, a native of Brandon, is a former NHL goaltender and a Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
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The AJHL’s Calgary Canucks now are looking for a general manager and head coach. . . . On Wednesday, they announced that head coach Ryan Barrett had been relieved of his duties. On Thursday, the Canucks revealed that general manager Chad Shiel had resigned and also gave up his seat on the board of directors “in order to pursue other business opportunities.” Shiel had been the GM for one season.

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WHL to Nanaimo? Not so fast . . .

It sure sounds as though the WHL can forget about Nanaimo, at least it can if it is waiting for the City to build a new arena.
"There hasn't been any discussion since (May 13) regarding a multiplex," Coun. George Anderson told Ben Ingram of the Nanaimo Daily News. "I think one day we will probably get a multiplex, but at this point and time there's far bigger issues that the city needs to deal with."
Ingram’s complete story is right here.
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D Garrett Haar apparently will be joining the Medicine Hat Tigers. Haar, from Huntington Beach, Calif., has been released from the hockey program at Western Michigan University. "Garrett has not lived up to his commitment to his academics and his Bronco hockey teammates and we have decided to part ways with him," WMU head coach Andy Murray said in a news release. . . . Earlier, Murray had revealed that Haar would be ineligible to play in the first half of the 2013-14 season. . . . Haar, who was heading into his junior season, had 17 points in 58 career games with the Broncos. . . . Haar is scheduled to turn 20 on Aug. 16. His arrival could leave the Tigers with six 20-year-olds on their roster, the others being F Curtis Valk, F Boston Leier, F Dylan Bredo, F Jacob Doty and D Zach Hodder. . . . Haar was a seventh-round selection by the Washington Capitals in the NHL’s 2011 draft.
On Friday, Haar (@HaarDaddy4) tweeted: “Have decided to leave Western Michigan and go play in the WHL. Medicine Hat Tigers seem to be my destination but still not sure.” . . . After WMU issued its news release, Haar tweeted: “I did not get kicked off Western Michigan, this was my decision #layoff.” . . . Later, still, he tweeted: “Apparently I got released by western? This must have been afer I told them I was leaving #facts”
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Bill Ranford will be in attendance at the 2013 Hockey Coaches Conference in Burnaby, B.C., next month. In fact, he will be a presenter. Ranford, who played 15 NHL seasons, is the goaltending coach with the Los Angeles Kings. At the conference, he will present on ‘integrating your goaltender into team systems and tactics.’ . . . Ranford has been with the Kings since 2006, so was part of their 2012 Stanley Cup victory after which G Jonathan Quick was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.  . . . “Bill Ranford is consummate professional who has succeeded on the games biggest stages as both a player and coach,” Aaron Wilbur, The Coaches Site’s managing director, stated in a news release. “We are thrilled that he is able to return to his roots and give back to the local hockey community at this year’s conference.” . . . For more information on the 2013 Hockey Coaches Conference, click on the banner ad at the top of this page.
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Congrats to old friend Evan Hammond on being selected as the 2013 BCHL Broadcaster of the Year, as voted on by fellow broadcasters. . . . Hammond, known as Hammer by one and all, is prepping for his 10th season as the voice of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. He now has won this award three times. . . . A native of Flin Flon, Hammond, 33, is the son of former Flin Flon Bombers G Cal Hammond, meaning he’s likely the toughest of the BCHL’s broadcasters and the best fisherman. . . . His blog, Hammer’s Bulldog Blog, is available over there on the right.
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Travis Green, now the head coach of the AHL’s Utica Comets, and Robert Esche, the Comets’ president, were teammates for two seasons with the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes. They chatted with the media on Friday and John Pitarresi of the Utica Observer-Dispatch has more right here.
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D Mackenzie Ferner, the son of Mark Ferner, a former Kamloops Blazers player and coach and a former Everett Silvertips coach, has signed to play next season with the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors. Mackenzie, who will turn 19 on Nov. 20, was an eighth round bantam pick by the Blazers in 2010 but no longer is on their protected list. He played last season with the junior B North Okanagan Knights in Armstrong, B.C.
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Chad Harden, who is driving in the Rangeland Derby at the Calgary Stampede, obviously knows horses. The Prince George Cougars are betting that he knows hockey players, too. That’s why Harden is on their scouting staff. . . . Scott Fisher of the Calgary Sun has more right here.
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Graham DeLaet was playing hockey in Saskatoon on Friday. And, apparently, the PGA Tour member looks pretty good with blades on his feet and a hockey stick in his hands. . . . Darren Zary of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here.
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When you go to a Major League Baseball game, do you keep score? Harvey Araton of The New York Times takes a look right here at what soon may become the lost are of keeping score.
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From Yahoo! Sports’ Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas): “Agent Alexei Dementiev tells Russia's Championat based on his convos at the NHL draft, he expects the CHL to ban all imports in the future.”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Simon Ferguson (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 18 goals and 33 assists in 40 games for Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) last season, good for second place in league scoring. . . .
D Jeff May (Prince Albert, Lethbridge, 2002-08) and D Jonathan Harty (Everett, 2004-08) each signed one-year contracts with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus). May had seven goals and 20 assists in 50 games for the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL), while Harty had seven goals and 20 assists in 26 games with the University of New Brunswick (CIS) and was pointless in three games with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) last season. Angers is coached by former Everett associate head coach Jay Varady.
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You will be aware that former WHLers like Darryl Sutter, Jarret Stoll, Dwight King and Colin Fraser helped the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup title.
But how about the other ex-WHLers who were involved?
So here’s a tip of the cap to . . .
Ron Hextall (Brandon, 1981-84), the Kings’ assistant GM. He has been with L.A. for six seasons now.
Bill Ranford (New Westminster, 1983-96), the Kings' goaltending coach.
Kim Dillabaugh, the Kelowna Rockets’ goaltending coach who is the Kings’ goaltender development coach.
Darren Granger, who has completed six seasons as the Kings’ equipment manager. He spent five seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Rob Laird (Regina, 1972-74) is the Kings’ senior pro scout. He has been with the Kings for 18 years, the last 16 as a pro scout.
Brent McEwen, a former GM of the Saskatoon Blades, has been the Kings’ Western Canada amateur scout since 2004.
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Craig West, the radio voice of the Tri-City Americans, was crying in his beer on Tuesday.
Actually, he wasn’t; at least, I don’t think he was.
But he did send along a note from the Pacific Northwest Inlander on the closing of the Viking Tavern in Spokane.
The tavern is located across from the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena and was a favourite stop for folks before and after Chiefs games.
There is more right here.
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A memorial service for Bruce McDonald, the Seattle Thunderbirds’ radio analyst who died on June 6, will be held Friday, noon, at Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Wash. The service is open to the public.
A note from a Thunderbirds’ news release:
“A memorial fund has been set up in Bruce’s name. Fans wishing to contribute should make out checks to “Bruce McDonald Memorial Trust Fund” and send them to the Seattle Thunderbirds Offices at 625 James, Kent WA 98032. Fans can also send their donations to: Bruce McDonald Memorial Trust Fund, CPO Box 634, Fall City, WA 98024.”
McDonald, who suffered from cerebral palsy and was in a wheelchair, had been diagnosed with leukemia in April. He was 41.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The St. Louis Blues have opted not to pick up the option on the contract of Jared Bednar, the head coach of the Peoria Rivermen, the NHL team’s AHL affiliate. Bednar went 81-63-12 in two seasons with the Rivermen.
Graham Thomas is the new head coach of the University of British Columbia’s varsity women's hockey program. Thomas, from Calgary, takes over from Jen Rawson, who resigned after last season, citing personal reasons. Thomas has been with the women’s team at Syracuse U, as associate coach and recruiting co-ordinator, since 2008-09. . . .
Fran Gow, a veteran of the AJHL wars, has signed a three-year contract to remain as GM/head coach of the Drayton Valley Thunder. Gow is a veteran of 19 years in the AJHL. He has been with the Thunder since 2007. . . . Gow immediately announced that Mike Mueller be staying put as associate coach.
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The Vancouver Giants have signed F Jakob Stukel to a WHL contract. Stukel, who is from Surrey, was the 37th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He had 62 points in 20 games with a bantam team in Cloverdale last season. . . . The Giants now have signed three of their 2012 draft picks.
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The BCHL held its annual meeting last weekend in Richmond, B.C. Josh Aldrich of the Nanaimo Daily News reports right here on the goings-on, including a new playoff format and taking rosters from 21 players to 22.
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Craig Forsythe of the Philadelphia Flyers Examiner blog is reporting that D Ricard Blidstrand has signed with VIK Vasteras, a team in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan, the country’s second-highest league. . . . Blidstrand was selected by the Flyers in the seventh round of the 2010 NHL draft but never signed with Philadelphia. Blidstrand played with the Regina Pats in 2010-11. They dealt him to the Prince George Cougars at the January trade deadline last season. . . . Blidstrand turned 20 on April 20, but wasn’t expected back in the WHL as he would have been a two-spotter -- a 20-year-old import.
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For today’s good read, check out this piece by Bob Klapisch, a columnist at northjersey.com. It’s the latest on longtime baseball exec Jim Duquette and his daughter, Lindsey. You may recall that the Duquettes were mentioned here a few days ago, on the eve of surgery during which Jim donated a kidney to his daughter. This is a wonderful, wonderful story.


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