Showing posts with label Brandon Wheat Kings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brandon Wheat Kings. Show all posts

Monday, July 17, 2017

Deer me, another smoky day in Kamloops ... Tigers sign Craven ... Patrick gets NHL deal







If you look closely behind the green table to the left of the apple tree, you will note the deer that paid a visit to your back yard on Monday at 1:30 p.m. She nibbled at the grass, checked out a bird feeder or two, and may have tried a Jon Gold apple.
As for the grey background, well, it was that kind of day in Kamloops. That's smoke, and it obliterated the view to the east down the South Thompson River Valley. Somewhere in there is the river and further east is Mount Martin. We think.
The smoke also resulted in watering eyes and meant that for the first time in four days there wasn't an opportunity to sit on the deck and read.
And, yes, that deck will get painted one of these days. After the smoke leaves, of course.






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 F Nathan Burns (Vancouver, Saskatoon, Swift Current, 2009-14) has signed a one-year contract with Halle (Germany, Oberliga). Burns didn’t play either of the past two seasons. In 2014-15 with the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL), he had three goals and seven assists in 27 games. . . .
F Gilbert Brulé (Vancouver, 2002-06) has been traded by Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk to Traktor Chelyabinsk (both Russia, KHL) for cash compensation. Last season, he had six goals and four assists in 16 games with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL), and 12 goals and 20 assists in 37 games with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL).
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The Medicine Hat Tigers have signed D Joel Craven to a WHL contract. Last season, with the midget AAA Northwest Athletic Association Flames in Calgary, he had a goal and nine assists in 31 games. . . . A list player, he is the son of Murray Craven, a former Tigers star forward (1980-84) who now is senior vice-president with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.

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The Vancouver Giants have signed F Milos Roman to a WHL contract. A Slovakian, Roman was the fifth-overall selection in the CHL’s 2017 import draft. . . . Roman, who won’t turn 18 until Nov. 6, played last season with HC Frydek-Mistek in the Czech Republick’s second-tier pro league. He had four goals and two assists in 29 games. He also played for Slovakia in the 2017 World Junior Championship, scoring once and adding an assist in four games. . . . He had a goal and an assist in five games at 2017 IIHF U-18 world championship and picked up five assists in four games at last summer’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup tournament.
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F Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. He was the second-overall selection in the NHL’s 2017 draft. . . . Patrick had 46 points, including 20 goals, in 33 games with Brandon last season. He missed a lot of the season due to a sports hernia. He had surgery in July 2016, then had more surgery on June 13. . . . Patrick was in Philadelphia for the Flyers’ development camp but didn’t take part in any on-ice activities. He is expected to start skating again next week and the Flyers say he should be ready for training camp. . . . If Patrick doesn’t make the Flyers’ roster, he will have to be returned to the Wheat Kings.
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From Treva Lind of the Spokane Spokesman-Review:
Spokane Public Facilities District is having Garco Construction, of Spokane, expand and remodel 2,300 square feet of space for the northeast front entrance to make room near metal detectors. A secondary project will update two concession areas.
A space in a southwest corner will get a new look — a taco truck-inspired design — for sale of fresh Mexican food, said Matt Gibson, arena general manager.
Work for a north side food area will push out a wall about 20 feet to create new eatery space introducing such options as craft burgers, Asian wraps, panini sandwiches and a craft beer center.
Gibson said work should be done in time for the Spokane Chiefs home opener Sept. 30.
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Whatever became of Denis Afinogenov? Remember when he was on your fantasy hockey team? Well, he’s now coaching in the Russian Women’s Hockey League. There’s that and a whole lot more right here at Patrick Conway’s Russian Hockey Blog.
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If you would like to contact Taking Note with information, have a question or just feel like commenting on something, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com. I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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Tweet of the day



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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:00 PM
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Friday, June 30, 2017

Another surgery for Patrick ... Wheat Kings, Silvertips swap goalies ... Wellsby moves to BCHL

Scattershoot


It’s July 1, which means Happy Canada Day to Bobby Bonilla, who retired as a baseball player in 2003 and last played for the New York Mets in 1999. But his contract called for him to receive US$1,193,248.20 every July 1 through 2035. . . . And how much will your bank account grow by today?
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In looking back at all that happened during the NHL’s draft weekend in Chicago, the move that may have the biggest impact on the 2017-18 season was the Pittsburgh Penguins’ acquisition of tough guy Ryan Reaves from the St. Louis Blues. The Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups without a bodyguard for Sidney Crosby and Co. Will Reaves’ arrival in Pittsburgh signal the start of an arms race?
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Of course, the Detroit Red Wings tried to play for a number of seasons — post-Bob Probert and Darren McCarty — without a bodyguard for the likes of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. And we all know how that turned out.
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It seems that every CFL season is the same as the last one. Observers are critical of the officials for throwing too many flags. But why are those same observers to reluctant to point fingers at coaches for the lack of discipline being shown by players who put the officials in positions where they can call those penalties?
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Wonder Woman and I journeyed to Kelowna on Friday, a trip we always enjoy. Yes, dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory was terrific. But, I’m here to tell you, the Kelowna traffic crawl is right there with that of the Lower Mainland.
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We also were left to wonder if there was anyone left at home in Alberta, or if the citizenry all had made the trek to the Okanagan.
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“Toronto columnist Steve Simmons claims the Maple Leafs are closer to a Stanley Cup than many think,” writes RJ Currie of SportsDeke.com. “Right. And I’m closer to dating Kate Upton than many think.”
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Currie, again: “Tim Hortons is offering poutine doughnuts on July 1 to salute Canada’s 150th birthday — but only in the U.S. Unless I’m mistaken, this is how Canada won the War of 1812.”
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 F Justin Feser (Tri-City, 2008-13) has signed a one-year contract with the Krefeld Pinguine (Germany, DEL). Last season, he had 22 goals and 30 assists in 45 games with Olten (Switzerland, NL B). He led the team in goals, assists and points. . . .
D Jesse Dudas (Lethbridge, Prince George, Swift Current, Regina, 2003-09) has signed a one-year contract with Nové Zámky (Slovakia, Extraliga). Last season, with Debrecen (Hungary,MOL Liga), had one goal and five assists in six games. He started the season with TPS Turku (Finland, Liiga), but was injured in the first Champions League game and never played in the regular season. . . .
F Keegan Dansereau (Calgary, Swift Current, 2003-09) signed a one-year contract with MAC Budapest (Hungary, MOL Liga). Last season, with Dunaújváros (Hungary, MOL Liga), he had 34 goals and 37 assists in 39 games. He led the league in points and was tied for the lead in goals. . . . 
F Layne Ulmer (Swift Current, 1997-2001) has signed a one-year extension with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). An alternate captain, he had 19 goals and 33 assists in 51 games last season. Ulmer completed his MBA at Cardiff Metropolitan University during last season. . . .
D Mark Louis (Brandon, Red Deer, 2003-08) has signed a one-year extension with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). Last season, he had one goal and 12 assists in 45 games. . . .
F Carson McMillan (Calgary, 2005-09) has signed a one-year extension with Esbjerg (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Last season he had nine goals and eight assists in 39 games. . . . 
F Luke Lockhart (Seattle, 2007-13) has signed a one-year contract with Kunlun Red Star Beijing (China, KHL). Last season, with University of British Columbia (CIS), he had nine goals and nine assists in 28 games. Kunlun Red Star opens training camp today (Saturday) with three days in Beijing, and is to begin on-ice sessions in Switzerland on July 8. . . .
F Adam Řehák (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) has signed a one-year extension with the Invicta Dynamos Gillingham (England, National). In 27 games last season, he had 27 goals and 25 assists. He led his team goals, assists and points, while finishing second in the league scoring race.
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F Nolan Patrick, the second overall selection in the NHL’s 2017 draft, has undergone another surgical procedure.
NHLRon Hextall, the Philadelphia Flyers’ general manager, revealed on Friday that Patrick won’t be taking part in the on-ice part of a development camp next week.
“Nolan had abdominal surgery on June 13, which related to his injury he dealt with this past season,” Hextall said in a news release.”
The Flyers expect Patrick to “be able to resume full activity” sometime between mid-July and early August.
This means that Patrick had surgery 11 days before the Flyers selected him during the draft in Chicago.
"To me, that brought clarity to us in terms of what’s been nagging him the whole year,” Hextall told reporters on a conference call. “There was something there. For us it was almost — I don’t want to say it was a positive — but when you look at everything that happened to him during the year and in and out, now we know what the issue was."
Patrick first was injured late in the WHL’s 2015-16 playoffs. He had surgery to repair a sports hernia in July 2016 and returned for the start of the WHL’s regular season. He played five games, the last one on Oct. 11, and then sat out until Jan. 13. He was injured again on March 17 and missed Brandon’s four playoff games as it was swept from a first-round series by the Medicine Hat Tigers.
In the 33 regular-season games in which he was able to play, Patrick put up 20 goals and 26 assists.
If Patrick doesn’t crack the Flyers’ lineup out of training camp, he must be returned to the Wheat Kings.
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(Photo: @bdnwheatkings)
The Brandon Wheat Kings and Everett Silvertips swapped goaltenders on Friday, with Brandon Peacock, 17, heading west in exchange for Zach Bennett. . . . Peacock, from Quesnel, B.C., has played three seasons at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C. Last season, with the White prep team in the CSSHL, he was 12-6-1, 3.24, .896. The Wheat Kings selected him in the fourth round of the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. . . . In mid-June, the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters announced that they had signed Peacock for 2017-18. . . . Bennett, from Winnipeg, will turn 17 on Oct. 1. The Silvertips picked him in the seventh round of the 2015 bantam draft. Last season, he was 2.20, .936 with the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers, and he was a second-team Manitoba Midget Hockey League all-star.
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The BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs have added F Austin Wellsby, 20, to their roster. Wellsby, who is from Chilliwack, played the past three seasons with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice. Last season, he had six goals and 12 assists in 60 games. In 164 regular-season games, Wellsby had 15 goals and 20 assists. . . . The Ice selected him in the fourth round of the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft.
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If you’re a regular here, and even if you aren’t, feel free to make a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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Coaching

 Bram Stephen is the new head coach of the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. He spent the previous five seasons with the Grant MacEwan College Griffins. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach for two seasons (2009-11) with the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder. . . . In Spruce Grove, Stephen takes over from Michael Ringrose, who left as the organization underwent an ownership change in June.
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Chris Taylor has signed on as head coach of the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. He replaces Dan Lambert, who was fired after one season as the Sabres underwent a regime change. Lambert has since signed as the head coach of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. . . . Taylor is a former Americans player and played three seasons (2002-05) with Jason Botterill, Buffalo’s new GM, in Rochester. . . . Taylor spent four seasons (2012-16) as an assistant coach with the Americans. Last season, he was an assistant with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:54 PM
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Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Giants sign veteran trainer ... Brandon d-man tears Achilles ... T-Birds sign first pick


The Vancouver Giants have hired Mike Burnstein, a former NHL trainer, to fill the athletic trainer’s role in their organization. . . . Burnstein worked for the Vancouver Canucks for 20 years, a span covering almost 1,600 games, from 1995-2015. He was fired by the Canucks two years ago. He also has worked for Hockey Canada (four World Hockey Championships, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the 2015 Spengler Cup). Last fall, he was the athletic trainer for Team Europe at the World Cup of Hockey. . . . With the Giants, Burnstein replaces Nick Murray, who spent six seasons there. He now is the head athletic therapist at Douglas College in New Westminster, B.C.
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There doesn’t seem much doubt but that F Klim Kostin is one of the most dynamic players available in next weekend’s NHL draft. The 6-foot-0, 207-pound Kostin played last season with the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow, although his season was shortened by shoulder surgery in January. . . . A year ago, the WHL’s Kootenay Ice selected him with the first pick in the CHL’s import draft. Obviously, he never reported to the Ice, which has finished with the WHL’s poorest record each of the past two seasons. . . . This season, because he will be drafted out of Russia, he will be eligible to play in the NHL, the AHL or the CHL, or he could choose to return to Russia. However, he told Joe Yerdon of NHL.com that he is not interested in playing for the Ice. . . . Through an interpreter, he told Yerdon: “I’d like to play for] a team that has some older players that are very strong players, those that can teach me a little bit more and I can benefit from their wisdom and skill.” . . . That story is right here.
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D James Shearer of the Brandon Wheat Kings has torn his right Achilles tendon and will be out until at least some time in October. Perry Bergson of the Brandon Sun reports that Shearer, who is entering his 20-year-old season, was injured on May 31 during an off-season workout. “I heard a pop, kind of like a chip bag being popped open and I couldn’t really put any pressure on it," Shearer told Bergson. "I immediately grabbed the back of my Achilles and was half standing and half crouching. As soon as I heard it, people had told me what it sounded like, so I knew what had happened and knew my fate at that point.” . . . Shearer has since had surgery and now has his right foot in a walking boot and is using crutches. . . . He is one of four 20s on Brandon’s roster, along with G Logan Thompson, D Kade Jensen and F Neyer Nell. . . . Bergson’s complete story is right here.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed F Payton Mount, who was the 19th overall selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. From Victoria, he had 30 goals and 37 assists in 30 games with the Delta Hockey Academy’s bantam prep team last season. . . . The WHL’s 22 teams now have signed all but six of the first-round picks from the 2017 bantam draft.
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The Kamloops Blazers have signed G Dylan Garand, who was a third-round selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. The Blazers didn’t have a second-round pick, so Garand was their second selection, following F Josh Pillar, who signed on Monday. . . . Garand, from Victoria, is expected to play in 2017-18 with the Delta Hockey Academy midget prep team. Last season, he was 13-0-0, 1.15, .959 with Delta’s bantam prep Green team.
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F Tyler Sandhu, who captained the Tri-City Americans last season, will attend UBC and play for the Thunderbirds in 2017-18. Sandhu, from Richmond, B.C., played out his junior eligibility last season. . . . In 318 career WHL games, he had 90 goals and 138 assists. He also played with the Everett Silvertips and Red Deer Rebels. Last season, with the Americans, he had single-season highs of 23 goals and 60 assists in 72 games.
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The OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, who are preparing for their 50th anniversary season, have hired James Boyd as their new general manager and André Tourigny as vice-president of hockey operations and head coach. . . . Boyd spent last season as the GM of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads, who reached the league’s championship series. He was with the Steelheads for six seasons, the first five as GM and head coach. . . . Tourigny was the head coach of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads last season and leaves despite having four years left on his contract. He wanted to be closer to family in Ottawa. Prior to that, he was GM/head coach of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies from 2002-13. He also worked as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators in 2015-16 after spending two seasons in the same role with the Colorado Avalanche. . . . Boyd and Tourigny take over from Jeff Brown, who resigned as GM/head coach on April 25.
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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet filed his 30 Thoughts piece over the weekend and, as usual, it is highly readable. Well down into the column, Friedman writes about John Spoltore, who was a smallish forward who really new his way around the offensive end of the ice.
Spoltore really made a name for himself with the ECHL’s Louisiana IceGators, where he became a real fan favourite. But he did get a moment in the AHL’s sun when he helped the Providence Bruins win an AHL title in 1999. The Bruins’ head coach was Peter Laviolette, now the head coach of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
Spoltore was diagnosed with brain cancer in March 2010 and died shortly afterwards.
Former WHLer Louis Dumont played with Spoltore on the IceGators and later was the team’s general manager.
Dumont told Taking Note that “the owner of the IceGators for the last six seasons bought the team because of his friendship with John and his love of the IceGators. The company name of the IceGators was JS Hockey Ventures DBA Louisiana IceGators. The JS being the initials of Spoltore.  Spotty's hockey IQ, vision and ability to execute was high NHL quality.”
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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 8:54 PM
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Thursday, June 8, 2017

Scattershooting: Circus comes to Calgary ... Acadia gets two ex-WHLers ... Ex-Wheaties D a head coach

Scattershoot

 Now that there is life on the NHL front in Seattle, how long until the Calgary Flames start using that for leverage as they attempt to get taxpayers to cough up cash for a new home? Oh wait, they’re already threatening to move to Quebec City. Here we go . . .
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Brian Burke, the Calgary Flames’ president of hockey operations, spoke to the Canadian Club of Calgary on Wednesday. CTV’s Chris Epp was there and tweeted the above, which should go over well with the many former NHL players who are suing the league in a concussion-related lawsuit.
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Yes, it was Brian Burke who mentioned a new arena in Calgary and Quebec City on Wednesday. The day wasn’t done when Ken King, the president and CEO of the Flames’ ownership, issued a statement pointing out that Burke “is not our spokesperson regarding a new events centre for our city.” . . . Calgary may not be getting a new arena any time soon, but it now has a circus on its hands.
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I’m sorry but there is nothing on TV these days that is as laughable as Buck Martinez pleading for baseballs to leave the park during Toronto Blue Jays’ telecasts. Of course, he practically whispers when the opposition lucks into a long ball.
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The Cincinnati Reds had utilityman Scooter Gennett in left field on Tuesday night. He had never hit four home runs in a month before he hit four in that game, becoming the 17th player in MLB history to perform that feat. . . . At that point, the San Francisco Giants’ left fielders had totalled three home runs this season. . . . One night later, Gennett hit into two double plays for the first time in his career.
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Randy Edsall was the highest-paid state employee in Maryland in 2016, pulling down US$2.673 million. As Eric Kolenich of the Richmond, Va., Times-Dispatch pointed out: “Just one odd thing about this . . . he was fired in 2015.” . . . Edsall was fired as the U of Maryland’s football coach six games into the 2015 season.
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A note from Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: ““A high-school cheerleader in El Paso was arrested on suspicion of submitting a false police report after she confessed she made up a story that her home had been burglarized so she could keep her uniform instead of having to turn it in. She was released from jail after posting bond of two bits, four bits, six bits, $5,000.”
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Verdun Hayes recently made history at the age of 101 when, as comedian Argus Hamilton reported, he became “the oldest man ever to voluntarily jump out of an airplane. That was United Airlines’ story, and they’re sticking to it.”
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Headline at SportsPickle.com: CBS dumps Tony Romo after Dak Prescott expresses interesting in broadcasting career.
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 D Jace Coyle (Spokane, Medicine Hat, 2007-11) has signed a one-year contract with SønderjyskE Vojens (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). This season, he had two goals and two assists in 14 games with the  with Quad City Mallards (ECHL). He signed with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite) on Nov. 28 and had four goals and seven assists in 33 games with them. . . .
D Alex Roach (Calgary, 2010-14) has signed a one-year contract with Grizzlys Wolfsburg (Germany, DEL). He is a dual German-Canadian citizenship. This season, with the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL), he had two assists in 12 games. He signed with Eisbären Berlin (Germany, DEL) on Dec. 21 and had two assists in 21 games there. . . . 
F Ben Walker (Victoria, 2011-14) has signed a one-year contract with Freiburg (Germany, DEL2). This season, in 16 games with České Budějovice (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), he had three goals and 10 assists.
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 F Ryan O’Reilly, whose WHL rights belong to the Tri-City Americans, has committed to the U of Denver where he will play for the Pioneers. O’Reilly, 17, is from Southlake, Texas. The Americans selected him in the fifth round of the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. . . . This season, he had 23 goals and eight assists in 26 games with the U-16 Dallas Stars. . . . In January 2016, O’Reilly had committed to the U of Nebraska-Omaha. . . . He is eligible for the NHL’s 2018 draft.
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Victor Findlay (@Finder_24) tweeted Thursday that Acadia U has commitments from F Rod Southam and D Micheal Zipp. . . . Southam, from Saskatoon, captained the Kelowna Rockets. This season, he had 46 points, 19 of them goals, in 71 games. He began his WHL career with the Tri-City Americans, before being moved to the Rockets early in 2014-15. In 247 regular-season games, he had 101 points, 41 of them goals. . . . Zipp, from Edmonton, was the captain of the Calgary Hitmen this season, during which he had four goals and 22 assists in 71 games. He began with the Everett Silvertips in 2012-13, then was traded to Calgary the next season. In 299 regular-season games, he had 77 points, including 18 goals.
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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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Coaching

 Daniel Tetrault, a former WHL defenceman, is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush. Tetrault, 37, spent this season as an assistant coach with the Rush. He also is a former captain of the Rush; that was the fifth team for which he wore the ‘C’. . . . Tetrault played five seasons in the WHL (Brandon, 1995-2000). . . . In Rapid City, he takes over from Mark DeSantis, who was fired in April after a 96-game run (38-47-11) as head coach.
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The NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights have hired Mike Kelly as an assistant coach to work alongside head coach Gerard Gallant. They worked together with the Florida Panthers (2014-17) until both were fired on Nov. 27. . . . Interestingly, Kelly started the 2003-04 season as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, but was fired by owner Kelly McCrimmon on March 1 with a 22-32-12 record. McCrimmon, who still owns the Wheat Kings, is the Golden Knights’ assistant general manager.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:10 PM
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Sunday, June 4, 2017

Source: Chiefs have their man ... Patrick talks injuries ... Rebels sign draft picks


The number of WHL teams looking for a head coach is expected to fall to three today (Monday).
The Spokane Chiefs are expected to name Dan Lambert as their new head coach today, a source familiar with the situation told Taking Note on Sunday evening.
Neither Lambert nor Scott Carter, who just finished his first season as the Chiefs’ general manager,
DAN LAMBERT
responded to a request for confirmation.
Lambert, 47, was fired last week by the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. He had spent one season as the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.
From St. Malo, Man., Lambert is a former WHL defenceman and coach. He played four seasons (1986-90) with the Swift Current Broncos and, in fact, captained their Memorial Cup-championship team in 1989.
After a professional career that included 29 NHL games with the Quebec Nordiques — he had six goals and nine assists — Lambert signed on as an assistant coach with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. After five seasons, he was named head coach for 2014-15 and guided the Rockets to a 53-13-6 record and the WHL championship. They reached the Memorial Cup final, only to lose 2-1 in OT to the Oshawa Generals in Quebec City.
Chances are good that Carter had more than one conversation about Lambert with Bruce Hamilton, the Rockets’ president and general manager. Carter and Hamilton are friends and both are involved with the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame in Penticton. In fact, when the decision was made to induct Carter, who is a co-founder of the hall, it was Hamilton who phoned with the news.
Lambert left Kelowna prior to 2015-16 to sign with the Sabres as an assistant coach under head coach Dan Bylsma. After that season, Lambert was assigned to Rochester as the head coach.
In Spokane, Lambert will replace Don Nachbaur, who had been there for seven seasons. Nachbaur, the third-winningest head coach in WHL regular-season history, and the Chiefs parted company when their season ended despite his having one season left on his contract.
This season, the Chiefs finished 27-33-12 and missed the playoffs.
With Lambert in Spokane, it will leave the Calgary Hitmen, Kootenay Ice and Victoria Royals without head coaches.
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F Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings is expected to be one of the first two selections when the NHL’s two-day 2017 draft opens in Chicago on June 23.
In 2015-16, Patrick put up 102 points, including 41 goals, in 72 games with Brandon, then added 30
NOLAN PATRICK
points, 13 of them goals, in 21 playoff games as the Wheat Kings won the WHL championship.
This season, however, wasn’t even close to that for Patrick, who will turn 19 on Sept. 19. He missed the start of the season after undergoing sports hernia surgery in July, then was plagued by another hernia during the season and played in only 33 games. Still, he had 20 goals and 26 assists.
Patrick spent the latter part of last week in Buffalo at the NHL Scouting Combine, where he spoke about his injury-plagued 2016-17 season for the first time.
“It is what it is, I don’t get mad about it or frustrated when people ask me,” Patrick told reporters. “I had two hernias at the same time, they missed one, but I’m not disappointed in the doctor. He was trying to do the best job he could. It happens sometimes.
“I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me. I think a little adversity for a young kid is what makes you stronger as a player. For me, I didn’t try and talk about it during the year, the missed diagnosis, I just wanted to focus on my year. This is the first time I’ve spoken about it.”
You know that some NHL teams will have been quizzing Patrick about his health, and now it seems the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers, who hold the first and second selections respectively, want Patrick to spend some time with them so that their own medical people can give him a going over.
Because he’s 19 and will have been drafted off a major junior roster, Patrick will have to be returned to the Wheat Kings if he doesn’t make an NHL roster for 2017-18.
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The Red Deer Rebels, who held a prospects camp on the weekend, have signed F Ethan Rowland and F Jordan Borysiuk. . . . Rowland, from Calgary, was the Rebels’ first-round pick, 22nd overall, in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. He will turn 15 on Sept. 24. This season, Rowland had 14 goals and 25 assists in 34 games with the bantam AAA Calgary Northstar Sabres. . . . Borysiuk, 15, is from Mannville, Alta., and was a third-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . He had 16 goals and 24 assists in 30 games with the Pursuit of Excellence bantam prep team out of Kelowna this season. . . . Both players announced their signings via Twitter.
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The Quebec Remparts used an eighth-round draft pick to take D Braeden Virtue of Worcester, Mass., during the QMJHL draft on Saturday. . . . The 6-foot-0, 180-pounder is the son of former WHL player and coach Terry Virtue. A defenceman, he played for the Victoria Cougars, Tri-City Americans and Portland Winterhawks (1988-91) and was an assistant coach with Tri-City for three seasons (2007-10). . . . This season, Braeden, 16, played for the U-16 Islanders of the U.S. Premier Hockey League. He had four goals and nine assists in 26 regular-season games.
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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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Prior to Saturday’s Stanley Cup game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the host Nashville Predators, James Duthie of TSN was on Twitter, proving once again that it's a great time to be alive . . .


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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 11:47 PM
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Wednesday, May 31, 2017

A fan's thoughts on Memorial Cup ... Oil Kings acquire goaltender ... Portland loses assistant coach


G Michael Garnett (Red Deer, Saskatoon, 1999-2002) has signed a two-year contract with the Nottingham Panthers (England, UK Elite). This season, with Medvescak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL), he was 3.15, .903 in 17 games. Garnett will attend Loughborough University while playing for the Panthers.
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 With the Memorial Cup having ended Sunday and with the host Windsor Spitfires having won it all without winning even one round in the OHL playoffs, there has been much debate about the tournament’s format.
This week, I received an email from a WHL fan, one who is knowledgeable and a season-ticket holder.
Here’s what this fan wrote:
“I have been reading your various comments about the Memorial Cup (attendance problems, idea for a format change), and thought I’d give you a perspective from purely that of a junior hockey fan who has
zero interest in this event. Yes, the ticket prices as quoted are high, but in my view that’s definitely not the only issue or even the main issue.
“My sole reason for lack of interest in the event is that it’s an exhibition event, not a championship. What you have are three teams who have to play well enough in the regular season to make the playoffs, then win four best-of-seven series in their respective leagues, plus one team that doesn’t have to do any of that.
“The single biggest requirement for competition in sports is a level playing field — all teams playing by the same rules and starting from the same place. The Memorial Cup, by allowing a host team in the tournament, violates that basic tenet, which renders the ‘championship’ meaningless.
“The Windsor Spitfires could have theoretically gone 0-68 this season and ended up in the same place. In fact, by getting knocked out in the first round of the OHL playoffs, one could argue that they had an advantage over the other teams by being well-rested and avoiding injuries. They also had a chance to recover before the tournament, unlike the other three teams that each had to play 20-some games to get there and then had four or five days rest (and had to travel during that time).
“If I were a Windsor player or fan, winning the Memorial Cup would feel like a hollow victory, because the team was given the unfair advantage of a head start and didn’t have to accomplish other things along the way usually necessary to win a championship.
“Think of the Stanley Cup — if prior to the start of the season, one team was already guaranteed a berth in the final. That’s what the Memorial Cup is and that renders it exhibition hockey without any real meaning. “Personally, I only am interested in games that count for something, regular season or playoffs, but not games that somehow don’t count in at least some way on the road to winning a title.
“The other issue with the whole ‘host team’ designation is that it forces the host team to mortgage the future and make maybe unnatural moves during a pre-determined season. I dread that my hometown team (Victoria Royals) one day plays host to the event as they’ve been rumoured to be bidding on a couple of times.
“Facing years of futility (like the Saskatoon Blades are going through now after being the host team in 2013) just to build up for one shot at winning an exhibition tournament is about the worst trade-off one could make. If the Royals ever play host to the event, I won’t be attending, and knowing what would happen to the team in the years following, I would probably give up my season tickets rather than pay to watch a few seasons of a subsequently bad team, especially given the reason they’d be bad.
“So for me the only solution is to go back to a three-team format with the winners of each league, which would be a true CHL championship.
“The difficulty with respect to fan interest is that unlike other leagues/sports, there’s no connection between the three CHL leagues. The teams don’t play each other, and there’s little player movement between leagues.
“The closest parallel I can think of is baseball prior to inter-league play. However, there you at least had player movement between the American and National leagues, so the leagues were connected. The CHL has none of that, and as a WHL fan I pay virtually no attention to the Ontario or Quebec leagues.
“Even so, a chance to be crowned CHL champion in a three-team affair would mean something — I know it did to me when the Victoria Cougars went there in 1981. However, the chance to win an exhibition tournament just doesn’t generate any interest, at least not from me.”
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The Edmonton Oil Kings have traded for G Travis Child, who will turn 20 on June 13, from the Brandon Wheat Kings for a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2018 bantam draft.
Child, from Killam, Alta., was acquired by Brandon, along with D Kade Jensen and a second- and fifth-
TRAVIS CHILD
round 2019 bantam draft picks from the Swift Current Broncos for G Jordan Papirny and a 2018 fourth-round draft pick.
Child was 4-3-1, 2.84, .894 in nine appearances with Brandon. With the Broncos, he had been 13-3-3, 3.03, .902 in 24 games.
The Wheat Kings are left with four 20s on their roster — G Logan Thompson, D James Shearer, F Meyer Nell and Jensen.
Child joins three other goaltenders with WHL experience on the Oil Kings’ depth chart. Patrick Dea, 20, has played in 123 regular-season games; this season, he was 19-31-3, 3.86, .882. Liam Hughes, 18, got into seven games this season (1-4-2, 3.26, .895) but missed a lot of time due to injury. Josh Dechaine, 19, saw action in 17 games as a freshman this season (3-8-1, 4.41, .876).
The Oil Kings now have five 20s on their roster — Child, Dea, F Adam Berg, F Jesse Roach and F Colton Kehler.
Goaltenders have become rather popular as trade targets in the last while, with four of them having been moved. Other than Child, Jordan Hollett, 18, went from the Regina Pats to the Medicine Hat Tigers; Nick Schneider, 20, moved from Medicine Hat to the Calgary Hitmen; and Mario Petit, 20, was dealt by the Everett Silvertips to the Kootenay Ice.
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NHL teams have until today (Thursday) at 5 p.m. ET to sign players selected in the 2015 draft or they will be eligible to be selected in the 2017 draft.
The Columbus Blue Jackets revealed Wednesday that they won’t sign D Sam Ruopp of the Prince George Cougars, while the Vancouver Canucks earlier said they wouldn’t be signing Cougars D Tate Olson.
Other players from that draft who have yet to sign are F Giorgio Estephan of the Lethbridge Hurricanes (Buffalo Sabres), F Matt Bradley of the Regina Pats (Montreal Canadiens), F Brad Morrison of the Cougars (New York Rangers), F Glenn Gawdin of the Swift Current Broncos (St. Louis Blues), and F Matteo Gennaro of the Calgary Hitmen (Winnipeg Jets).
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Peter Toigo has been named assistant general manager of the Vancouver Giants. Toigo had been the organization’s vice-president of operations. . . . “Peter has worked in the capacity of assistant general manager since I arrived last year,” Giants GM Glen Hanlon said in a news release. “I believe that now is a good time to formally announce Peter’s expanded role as we move forward. We feel good about the direction that the team is going in, and Peter has been a big part of that plan.” . . . Toigo, who has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Gonzaga U in Spokane, has been with the Giants since 2008 when he was director of team services. He was named vice-president of operations in 2011 and will continue in that role while also being the AGM. . . . Toigo’s father, Ron, is the Giants’ majority owner.
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The Spokane Chiefs have signed F Cedric Chenier, 17, to a WHL contract. Chenier, from Winnipeg, was a ninth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. This season, he had 65 points, including 30 goals, in 43 games with the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild. That was good enough to win the Manitoba Midget Hockey League scoring title. He added 16 points, including 13 assists, in 11 playoff games as the Wild won the MMHL championship.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings have signed F Jonny Hooker, who will turn 16 on Oct. 3, and D Neithan Salame, 16, to WHL contracts. . . . Hooker, a Winnipegger, was an eighth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft. Hooker had 30 goals and 12 assists in 30 games with the Rink Hockey Academy midget prep team this season. . . . Salame, from Edmonton, was a seventh-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft. This season, he had two goals and 12 assists in 34 games with the midget AAA Edmonton Knights of Columbus Pats.
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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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Coaching

 Oliver David has left the Portland Winterhawks’ coaching staff to take over as the head coach of the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. . . . David, 38, spent one season with the Winterhawks, having joined them from Dubuque, where he had been the assistant GM and associate coach. . . . The Fighting Saints were 108-61-2-9 with David on their staff. . . . David takes over from Jason Lammers, who moved to Niagara University as the head coach of the Purple Eagles. . . . The Winterhawks now are looking for an assistant coach to work alongside Mike Johnston, their vice-president, GM and head coach, and associate coach Kyle Gustafson.
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As you tossed and turned in bed last night, you were trying to figure out who is coaching the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk. Admit it. You were, and it kept you awake. Well, Patrick Conway has come to the rescue. . . . The Stanley Cup final maybe two games old, but KHL training camps for 2017-18 are on the horizon. Conway starts his previews with a look at the coaches in the West Conference with the six teams in Bobrov Division, and it’s right here.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 8:28 PM
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