Today is it for Hitmen ... Kisio moves up with U-18 side ... Inside the KHL in tweets

Hey folks @gdrinnan Taking Note is working just loading really slowly thanks to a new script from @blogger be patient. #SameGreatWriting

— Terry Massey (@TerryMassey) July 6, 2017

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D Keaton Ellerby (Kamloops, Moose Jaw, 2004-08) has signed a one-year contract with Mora (Sweden, SHL). Last season, he had three goals and nine assists in 43 games with Lukko Rauma (Finland, Liiga).

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To build on report that #Hitmen are announcing GM soon....hearing new incoming GM has some of the strongest bloodlines in the #WHL

— Kristen Odland (@Kristen_Odland) July 10, 2017

Follow up to the great reporting here by Gregg. Hitmen set to make announcements tomorrow. #WHL https://t.co/5wXv8ibPRc

— Brendan Parker (@GlobalParker) July 10, 2017

The Calgary Hitmen are poised to make some personnel introductions today (Tuesday).

As was first reported here late Saturday, the Hitmen will name Jeff Chynoweth their new general

manager, with Dallas Ferguson taking over as head coach.

As well, Dallas Thompson will move up to head scout after working for the Hitmen in B.C. for the past two seasons.

Chynoweth, of course, has long been associated with the Edmonton/Kootenay Ice. He, his mother Linda and brother Dean sold the Ice earlier this summer to Winnipeggers Greg Fettes and Matt Cockell.

With the Hitmen, Chynoweth will take over from Mike Moore, who now is  vice-president and alternate governor. Moore had been the GM since 2013.

Ferguson, a native of Wainwright, Alta., will succeed Mark French, who left after three seasons as head coach to take a job in Switzerland. Ferguson, 44, has been at the U of Alaska-Fairbanks since 2004-05. He spent four seasons as an assistant coach and has been the head coach since 2008-09. Ferguson was named head coach on May 21, 2008, about a month after he had stepped in as interim coach following the resignation of Doc DelCastillo.

As a player, Ferguson spent four seasons (1992-96) as a defenceman with the Nanooks.

Thompson, a former WHL player who spent 16 seasons with the Prince George Cougars, the last 10 as GM, will replace Dan Bonar, who had been with the Hitmen for 14 seasons, the last four as director of player personnel.

Ferguson Stepping Down at Alaska for WHL Job - https://t.co/inR2vkBoZ1 @NanooksHockey

— College Hockey News (@chnews) July 11, 2017

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Brent Kisio, the head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, has moved up to head coach of the Canadian U-18 team that will play in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup next month. . . . Kisio, who was named as an assistant coach earlier this summer, replaces Paul McFarland, the former head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs who now is an assistant coach with the NHL’s Florida Panthers. . . . Kisio is preparing for his third season as the head coach in Lethbridge. . . . Drew Bannister, the head coach of the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, has been added to the U-18 team as an assistant coach. . . . The Ivan Hlinka Memorial runs from Aug. 7-12 in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Bratislava, Slovakia.

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The Lethbridge Hurricanes won’t have Russian F Egor Babenko back for a third season. This means that they are looking at veteran D Igor Merezhko, who is from Ukraine, and Russian F Yegor Zudilov as their two imports in 2017-18.

Merezhko, 19, has two goals and 29 assists in 128 regular-season games with the Hurricanes.

Zudilov, who will turn 17 on Sept. 10, was selected in the CHL’s 2017 import draft. He had 65 points, including 31 goals, in 35 games with Avangard Omsk’s U-17 team last season. The previous season, he put up 63 points, 31 of them goals, with Avangard Omsk’s U-16 side.

Babenko, now 20, has signed a two-year contract with Lada Togliatti of the KHL. He had 53 goals and 71 assists in 133 regular-season games with the Hurricanes.

Babenko is eligible to play one more season in the WHL, but as a 20-year-old import he would have been a two-spotter.

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One day after losing director of player personnel Ryan Jankowski to the Buffalo Sabres, Hockey Canada waved farewell to one of its goaltending coaches Monday as Fred Brathwaite left to join the New York Islanders. . . . Brathwaite has worked with Hockey Canada’s U-18 team for the past three seasons. He also has been involved with Canada’s national junior team.

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If you are planning on attending the seventh annual TeamSnap Hockey Coaches Conference but haven’t yet registered, don’t forget that we’ve got a deal for you. . . . The conference runs Friday and Saturday in Vancouver, so time is running out for you to register. You are able to get 20 per cent off the registration fee by clicking right here. Tour around the site and when you register just enter the coupon code TakingNote and you will get the discounted rate.

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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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If you have any interest at all in the inner-workings of the KHL — i.e. how does it survive? — read this series of tweets from Slava Malamud.

1/ In order to understand the dark undercurrent of RUS hockey and the role politics plays in it, you have to start with knowing one thing:

— Slava Malamud (@SlavaMalamud) July 10, 2017

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Americans introduce captain, new logo ... Hurricanes captain gets AHL deal ... Ex-P.A. captain to coach in AHL

D Richie Regehr (Kelowna, Portland, 1998-2004) has signed a one-year contract with Klagenfurt (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, with Red Bull Munich (Germany, DEL), he had three goals and 13 assists in 44 games. . . .

D Austin Madaisky (Calgary, Kamloops, 2008-12) has signed a one-year extension with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). This season, he had three assists in 19 games.

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The Tri-City Americans unveiled their 30th anniversary logo on Thursday evening, while also announcing that F Michael Rasmussen is the 29th team captain in the team’s history. . . . Rasmussen, who will be a first-round selection in the 2017 NHL draft, had 32 goals and 23 assists in 50 games this season. His season ended prematurely when he suffered a broken scaphoid in his left wrist. In his two seasons with the Americans, Rasmussen has 50 goals and 48 assists in 114 games. . . . The Americans will be celebrating 30 seasons in the Tri-Cities — Kennewick, Pasco and Richland — in 2017-18. It’s worth noting, though, that the Americans actually are one of the WHL’s original franchises. They started out as the Calgary Buffaloes in 1966-67, the WHL’s first season, and were the Calgary Centennials from 1967-77. After that, they were the Billings Bighorns (1977-82), Nanaimo Islanders (1982-83) and New Westminster Bruins (1983-88).

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F Tyler Wong, who played out his eligibility with the Lethbridge Hurricanes this season, has signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. Wong played five seasons with the Hurricanes, putting up 298 points, including 143 goals. From Cochrane, Alta., he was the Hurricanes’ captain for the past two seasons. This season, he totalled 109 points, tying for the WHL lead with 41 goals, in 69 games.

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Jeremy Colliton is the new head coach of the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. The 32-year-old Colliton, who is from Blackie, Alta., played four seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders (2001-05), the last two as team captain. He spent the past four seasons as the head coach of Mora IK in Sweden (HockeyAllsvenskan). In Rockford, Colliton replaces Ted Dent, who was fired following the end of this season.

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Paul McFarland of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs has been named the head coach of the U-18 team that will represent Canada at this summer’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament. McFarland also was the team’s head coach a year ago. His assistant coaches will be Brent Kisio of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Daniel Jacob of the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. . . . The tournament will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia, and Breclav, Czech Republic, in August. . . . The 2018 tournament is scheduled to be held in Edmonton. . . . Meanwhile, Dave Struch, the Regina Pats’ assistant GM/assistant coach, has been named head coach of Team Canada Black that will play at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, B.C., Nov. 5-11. . . . Struch’s assistant coaches will be Spencer Carbery (OHL’s Saginaw Spirit) and Louis Robitaille (QMJHL’s Victoriaville Tigres). . . . Luke Pierce, the head coach of the Kootenay Ice, will work as an assistant on Team Canada Red. Gilles Bouchard (QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) is the head coach, with B.J. Adams (OHL’s Erie Otters) the other assistant. . . . Ryan Oulahen of the OHL’s Flint Firebirds will be the head coach of Team Canada White. His assistants will be Brett Gibson (Queen’s University) and Eric Landry (QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques).

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Sotheby's just sold this Basquiat 1982 masterpiece for $110 million, smashing a new auction record for the US artist to cheers and applause pic.twitter.com/dhv3TTRnPO

— Jennie Matthew (@jenniematthew) May 19, 2017

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More numbers, but not much info . . . 'Canes inch closer to Tigers . . . Broncos bury Wheaties

Documents unsealed in CHL min. wage case show CHL makes $10M in sponsorships & TV rights per year, $2.5M from marketing and $11.4M from NHL. pic.twitter.com/m3lMAyA2Xy

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) February 28, 2017

London Knights reported a profit of $1.9M in 2015 and $2.1M in 2014… and they also paid out $6.75M in dividends to owners over 2 yrs alone. pic.twitter.com/6sQ9WZlM4b

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) February 28, 2017

The Niagara Ice Dogs say they can’t afford to pay players min. wage. Their tax return shows the team leases 4 BMWs, inc. a $121K BMW X6 M. pic.twitter.com/xP7BPgc6D2

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) February 28, 2017

Rick Westhead, a senior reporter with TSN, tweeted some more information involving CHL teams and the situation in which they find themselves with more than 400 former and present players seeking certification for a class-action suit that calls for teams to provide a minimum wage and other benefits.

Those tweets are posted above.

Westhead also updated a story that he had posted on Monday. That story now includes a chart that

shows revenues and profit/loss reported by WHL teams. That chart is at the end of this story. The numbers for 20 of the teams are for their 2016 fiscal year (June 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016). The Victoria Royals’ numbers are for 2015. The Portland Winterhawks didn’t file statements with the court.

A few observations from those numbers, keeping in mind that they raise a whole lot of questions because they don’t include any specifics as to where the money goes . . . 

If you were wondering what a WHL championship is worth, the defending-champion Brandon Wheat Kings reported a profit of $779,948.

The Seattle Thunderbirds reported higher revenue than any of the other teams — their US$5.6 million converting to more than Cdn$7.3 million. They claimed a profit of US$937,442, or about Cdn$1.2 million.

The Edmonton Oil Kings were next, reporting revenues of $6.6 million and a $1.4-million profit.

With NHL teams owning the Oil Kings and the Calgary Hitmen, you are wondering about the latter. They reported $4.3 million in revenues and a loss of $387,333.

In their first season in the new Canalta Centre, the Medicine Hat Tigers reported revenues of $3.2 million and a profit of $205,236.

Perhaps the most interesting figures involved the WHL’s four community-owned teams — the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders and Swift Current Broncos.

The Broncos led that quartet with revenues of $3.2 million, followed by Lethbridge and Moose Jaw, both at $3.1 million, and Prince Albert at $2.2 million. It was the Raiders, though, who reported the highest profit — $249,471. The Hurricanes claimed a profit of $197,253, with the Broncos claiming a $144,644 profit. The Warriors, meanwhile, reported a loss of $36,800.

An observer must be cautioned, however, not to read too much into any of these numbers, simply because nothing in the way of specifics has been provided.

The Red Deer Rebels, for example, claimed revenues of $4.5 million and a loss of $1,245. The Rebels’ numbers prove the inanity of trying to reach any kind of conclusion by studying them, because they paid out $1,490,000 in managements fees while reporting that loss. To this point, we have no way of knowing exactly where, or to whom, those management fees went.

The part of the lawsuit involving the WHL is expected to be back in a Calgary courtroom on April 18.

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Unfortunately, the Moose Jaw Warriors and Lethbridge Hurricanes won’t meet again this season, unless it’s in the playoffs.

So . . . let’s hope that happens.

Looking for juicy, rivalry-fuelling quotes in today’s WHL is kind of like walking down to a South Thompson River boat launch and panning for gold — the chances of finding a nugget aren’t great.

But, hey, every once in a while there is something shiny at the bottom of the pan.

The Warriors, under head coach Tim Hunter, went into Lethbridge and beat the Hurricanes, 3-1, on Feb. 22. On Feb. 4, the host Hurricanes had beaten the Warriors, 3-0, in a game that featured 147 penalty minutes. The Feb. 22 game included only 32 penalty minutes, but apparently there was more to this one than that.

After that game, Brent Kisio, the Hurricanes’ head coach, told Dale Woodard of the Lethbridge Herald:

“It was a physical game. There was some animosity. They have a classless coach over there that is probably the most classless guy in our league. It’s unfortunate it happens, but I thought our guys played hard.”

Shots fired!

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The WHL suspended three players, each for one game, on Tuesday. . . . D Sahvan Khaira of the Swift Current Broncos didn’t play Tuesday night against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings after behind suspended for a charging major and game misconduct during a game against the host Regina Pats on Sunday. . . . F Michael Spacek of the Red Deer Rebels will sit out a game. The reason? According to the WHL website, it is “for game misconduct at Calgary” on Sunday. . . . F Noah Gregor of the Moose Jaw Warriors also got one game, this after he took a kneeing major and game misconduct in a game against the host Saskatoon Blades on Sunday. . . . As well, the Everett Silvertips were touched up for $250 for a warm-up violation prior to a game against the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Sunday.

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D Max Gildon, who is from Plano, Texas, has committed to the U of New Hampshire. Gildon, who will turn 18 on May 17, was a third-round selection by the Vancouver Giants in the WHL’s 2014 bantam draft. . . . . Gildon has spent two seasons in the U.S. National Team Development Program, this season with the U-18 team. . . . Originally, he had committed to attend Wisconsin, but he later changed his mind.

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Five days after the ECHL’s Anchorage-based Alaska Aces announced that they won’t operate next season, the NAHL’s Kenai River Brown Bears announced that they also are closing their doors. Nate Kiel, the Brown Bears’ general manager, told Joey Klecka of the Peninsula Clarion that “it boils down to finances, and we were running in the red.” . . . The Brown Bears have been a part of the NAHL for 10 years. . . . Klecka has an all-encompassing story right here.

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The ECHL’s Reading Royals will have a new head coach in place when another season rolls around. Larry Courville is leaving after seven complete seasons behind the bench. Jason Guarente of the Reading Eagle reports that “contract negotiations between Courville and the front office began in December, and the two side were unable to agree on an extension.” . . . Instead, Courville is moving on as hockey director at Lancaster Ice Rink. . . . Courville’s contract expires on June 30. . . . He went 336-207-53 as Reading’s head coach, qualifying for the playoffs in each of his seven complete seasons. . . . Guarente’s story is right here.

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The junior B Sicamous Eagles, who play in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, made a coaching change once their season ended. Matt Stang is out as head coach and Rob Fitzpatrick, who had been coaching a midget team in Salmon Arm, will take over. . . . Stang had replaced Ty Davidson after the Eagles opened this season with eight straight losses. . . . Fitzpatrick has coached in the KIJHL with the Revelstoke Grizzlies and North Okanagan Knights. . . . The Eagles, who have missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons, finished 10-36-1 this season, leaving them last in the five-team Doug Birks Division.

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How outrageously cool are these home game jerseys for this Friday's LUMBERJACK Night?

Grab your tickets online at https://t.co/Ni7Qwms7qk pic.twitter.com/03zuEXJ79Y

— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) February 28, 2017

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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

WHL's best records since Jan. 10 trade deadline: 1. Lethbridge (17-2-1-1, .857); 2. Seattle (19-4-0-1, .812); 3. Regina (17-6-1-0, .729).

— Rob Vanstone (@robvanstone) March 1, 2017

At Regina, F Tyler Wong took over the WHL goal-scoring lead with Nos. 46 and 47 as he led the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory over the Pats. . . . The Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead as F Matt Alfaro

TYLER WONG

(23) scored at 3:56 of the first period, with Wong getting and assist. . . . Wong scored the game’s next two goals, finding the range while shorthanded at 15:57 of the first period and adding a PP score 48 seconds into the second period. . . . F Dawson Leedahl (32) got Regina on the scoreboard at 16:21 of the second period. . . . Lethbridge F Jordy Bellerive put it away with his 25th goal, at 19:02 of the third period. Yes, it was an empty-netter. . . . F Zak Zborosky had two assists for Lethbridge. . . . G Stuart Skinner stopped 42 shots for the Hurricanes. . . . The Pats got 23 saves from G Tyler Brown. . . . Lethbridge was 1-4 on the PP; Regina was 0-3. . . . F Riley Krane made his WHL debut with the Pats. Krane, who turned 17 on Jan. 24, was an eighth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. From Dawson Creek, B.C., he has 18 points, eight of them goals, in 27 games with the major midget Cariboo Cougars, who play out of Prince George. . . . The Hurricanes (39-17-7) have won three in a row. They are second in the Central Division, four points behind Medicine Hat. Each team has nine games remaining. . . . The Pats (44-10-8) had points in each of their previous four games (3-0-1). They lead the overall standings by seven points over Medicine Hat, with a game in hand. . . . Announced attendance: 4,594.

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JORDAN PAPIRNY

At Swift Current, F Ryley Lindgren scored three times as the Broncos dumped the Brandon Wheat Kings, 5-2. . . . F Glenn Gawdin finished with a goal and two assists, while F Tyler Steenbergen drew three assists. . . . Lindgren opened the scoring with his 20th goal, at 16:43 of the first period. . . . Brandon D Kade Jensen (4) tied it 47 seconds into the second period. . . . Lindgren put the Broncos out front as he scored, on a PP, at 12:03. . . . Gawdin, who missed one game with an illness, stretched the lead at 16:46. He’s got 23 goals. He also had two assists. . . . F Tyler Coulter got Brandon to within a goal when he scored his 26th goal 47 seconds into the third period. . . . The Broncos put it away on goals from F Kaden Elder (13), at 12:32, and Lindgren, at 15:32. . . . The Broncos got two assists from D Artyom Minulin. . . . F Stelio Mattheos had two assists for Brandon. . . . G Jordan Papirny stopped 25 shots in posting the victory over his former team. Papirny is 6-7-2 with the Broncos, after starting the season 13-11-1 with the Wheat Kings. . . . Brandon got 27 saves from G Logan Thompson. . . . Swift Current was 1-5 on the PP; Brandon was 0-2. . . . The Wheat Kings scratched D Garrett Sambrook (ill), F Ty Lewis, F Tanner Kaspick, F Connor Gutenberg and F Baron Thompson (ill), leaving them with six defencemen and 10 forwards. . . . D Shaven Khaira was among the Broncos’ scratches as he served a one-game suspension. . . . The Broncos (32-20-10) have won two straight games. They are third in the East Division, nine points ahead of Brandon. . . . The Wheat Kings (28-26-9) have lost five in a row (0-4-1). They hold down the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 2,056.

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Lethbridge at Brandon, 7 p.m.

Kootenay at Edmonton, 7 p.m.

Spokane at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Seattle at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Prince George at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Portland vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

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Doing some scattershooting . . . Giants say season-ticket sales are up . . . Wheaties, Oil Kings trim rosters

We’re scattershooting as the WHL approaches the start of its 51st regular season . . . 

1. Will the Everett Silvertips qualify for the playoffs for a 14th straight season? They have made it in each of their first 13 seasons in the WHL.

2. Will Everett head coach Kevin Constantine get a new contract before this season is over? He is the only head coach to get the Silvertips out of the opening round.

3. F Nick Henry of the Regina Pats was the MJHL’s rookie of the year with his hometown Portage Terriers last season. He chose to join the Pats, rather than go the NCAA route, and then lit up the preseason with five goals and six assists in eight games. Will he be able to continue that pace in the real games?

4. It will be interesting to watch Regina GM/head coach John Paddock’s game plan unfold. It’s based on reaching the 2018 Memorial Cup, a tournament the Pats should get to play in as the host team. It will be the trophy’s 100th anniversary and the Pats’ 100th season. Paddock landed Henry, 17, and F Bryan Lockner, 16, who also was thought to be NCAA-bound. Is F Tyson Jost, 18, paying close attention as he begins his freshman season at the U of North Dakota? The Colorado Avalanche selected Jost with the 10th overall pick in the NHL’s 2016 draft. The Pats acquired his rights in a deal with Everett.

5. Brandon F Nolan Patrick was the WHL’s playoff MVP as the Wheat Kings won the Ed Chynoweth Cup last spring. But he was injured in the Eastern Conference final and needed surgery in July to repair a sports hernia. Seen as the consensus No. 1 pick in the NHL’s 2017 draft, he returned to full practice last week but has yet to play in a game. It will be interesting to see how he progresses once he gets back in the lineup.

6. F Matt Phillips of the Victoria Royals is the WHL’s most exciting player. Last season, he put up 76 points, including 37 goals, in 72 games. It is going to be fun watching the 5-foot-6, 140-pound whirling dervish in his sophomore season.

7. Peter Anholt, the GM of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, was thrilled when he was able to acquire D Brennan Menell from the Vancouver Giants the other day. Menell put up 53 points, 46 of them assists, in 69 games with a struggling Vancouver team last season. What will he do with the Hurricanes, a team that has some firepower up front?

8. A year ago, the Hurricanes were coming off a 20-44-8 season. Last season, with Anholt in charge and newcomer Brent Kisio running the bench, they were the WHL’s surprise team, finishing at 46-24-2. How will they do this season when they won’t be able to surprise the other teams?

9. F Tyler Benson of the Vancouver Giants was able to play in only 30 games last season and he wasn’t near 100 per cent for some of those appearances. It would be great to be able to watch him at his best, or at least close to it, this season. When healthy, he is one of the WHL’s top skaters. Unfortunately, he’s already nursing a shoulder injury.

10. When Jason Smith was a defenceman with the Regina Pats (1991-93), he was one of the WHL’s toughest players. You didn’t want to go into a corner and engage in a 1-on-1 puck battle with him. You didn’t want to stand in front of Regina’s net when he was on the ice. Today, he’s the head coach of the Kelowna Rockets. Smith, who turns 43 on Nov. 2, has never been a head coach at any level of hockey. The WHL game has changed a whole lot since he played in the league and it’s going to be interesting watching him learn.

11. F Aleksi Heponiemi, a freshman from Finland, led the WHL in assists (10) and points (15) in six exhibition games. He’s 5-foot-10 and 140 pounds and should be a whole lot of fun to watch this season.

12. It’s supposed to be a rebuilding/reloading season for the Portland Winterhawks, isn’t it? But they came out of the exhibition season with a 5-0-1 mark, the only one of the 22 teams not to suffer a regulation-time loss. Yes, it’s only the preseason but is GM/head coach Mike Johnston already working his magic in what is his second go-round?

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Laundry Day. 6 loads of towels, 3 loads of game socks, 4 high capacity loads of game jerseys, 11 cups of tide sport. pic.twitter.com/qcai3niMrq

— Golden Rockets (@RocketsGolden) September 18, 2016

Bob McGill, a longtime WHL scout, has died at the age of 71. McGill, who lived in Sherwood Park, Alta., was the father of Ryan McGill, a former WHL player and coach, who now is the head coach of

Bob McGill receives a WHL Distinguished Service Award
from commissioner Ron Robison in March.
(Edmonton Oil Kings photo)

the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack.

Bob McGill was presented with a WHL Distinguished Service Award in March prior to a game between the host Edmonton Oil Kings and the Red Deer Rebels.

McGill scouted for various WHL teams for more than 25 years.

He worked for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Medicine Hat Tigers, Kelowna Rockets, Vancouver Giants and the Oil Kings.

During his 10 seasons with the Rockets, they won two WHL titles and made three Memorial Cup appearances, winning it all as the host team in 2004.

He joined the Oil Kings for their inaugural season (2007-08) and was with them through 2014 when they won the Ed Chynoweth Cup and the Memorial Cup. He retired after that season, going out on top.

He had played for the original Oil Kings before joining the Edmonton Fire Department, where he would spend 30 years.

McGill, known by all as Gilly, was extremely popular on the coaching circuit and among his peers.
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The Regina Pats went 3-3-1 in the exhibition season and will open the real season on Friday against the visiting Prince Albert Raiders. Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that F Luc Smith (charleyhorse) and D Lane Zablocki (shoulder), who didn’t play in a 6-4 loss to the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday, should be ready, but D Brady Pouteau (ankle) isn’t expected to be back. . . . Regina got down to two goaltenders by dropping Kurtis Chapman from their roster. He is expected to report to the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins. Chapman, 18, is from Airdrie, Alta. He was a seventh-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. His departure leaves the Pats with Tyler Brown, 19, and Jordan Hollett, 17, as their goaltenders. Brown got into 50 games last season (21-19-6, 3.15, .909), while Hollett made 23 appearances (10-6-1, 3.67, .887).

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The Vancouver Giants are preparing for their first season in the Langley Events Centre after moving over from the Pacific Coliseum. Peter Toigo, the Giants’ vice-president, operations, has told Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province that the team may limit tickets sales to “about 4,500” per game, at least in the early going. The LEC has a listed hockey capacity of 5,276, which includes 700 standing room. The Giants may not sell standing room. According to Ewen, Toigo told him that the Giants want to make sure they have the fan experience nailed down. They want make sure the building and staff can handle the crowd. . . . Toigo also told Ewen that season-ticket sales are up for the first time since 2006-07, although he wasn’t able to supply an exact figure.

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F Tyler Benson of the Vancouver Giants skated with the Edmonton Oilers’ prospects in Penticton, B.C., on Sunday, but he did it while in a non-contact sweater. Benson suffered a shoulder injury a week earlier in a WHL exhibition game, so didn’t play in the Oilers’ first two games at the YoungStars Classic in Penticton. He isn’t expected to play in their final game in the tournament against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday, either. . . . “Just a tweak, a day-to-day thing,” Benson told Robert Tychowski of the Edmonton Sun. “They’re just trying to take precautions to make sure nothing gets worse.” . . . Benson, a second-round pick by the Oilers in the 2016 NHL draft, was limited to 30 games with the Giants last season thanks to surgery to remove a cyst from his lower back area, then groin and lower core injuries. . . . “That’s all cleared up,” he told Tychowski. “I’ve had no issues with that for a while now. . . . I’m all good now.”

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The Brandon Wheat Kings dropped D Ty Ettinger, 16, and G Hunter Arps, 17, from their roster. . . . Ettinger is expected to join the midget AAA Sherwood Park Kings. From Androssan, Alta., Ettinger was a fifth-round selection on the 2015 bantam draft. . . . Arps may return to the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals, although he may yet end up with the SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs. Arps, from Pleasantdale, Sask., was a fifth-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . Arps’ departure leaves the Wheat Kings with two goaltenders — veterans Jordan Papirny 20, and Logan Thompson, 19, both of whom were there last season.

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The Edmonton Oil Kings got their roster down to 24 players, including three goaltenders and 14 forwards, by trimming four players on Sunday. . . . F Brian Harris, 17, is expected to join the MJHL’s Swan Valley Stampeders. He was an 11th-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . F Scott Atkinson, 16, was a fifth-round pick in the 2015 draft. He is returning to the major midget Greater Vancouver Canadians. . . . D Travis Verveda, who turns 19 on Nov. 6, is returning to the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. He has played 32 games with the Kamloops Blazers over the past two seasons. . . . D Jayden Platz, 16, is expected to return to the Northern Alberta X-Treme of the Canada Sport School Hockey League. He was a second-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft.

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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

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Harold Snepsts receives City of Burnaby paving stone, honouring hall of fame inductees, volunteers and businesses. pic.twitter.com/ShaYOAZLAX

— Kathy Corrigan (@kathycorrigan) September 17, 2016

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SUNDAY-THURSDAY GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY GAMES (all times local):

Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Prince Albert at Regina, 7 p.m.

Saskatoon at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

Everett at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.

Prince George at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

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Hurricanes get their man . . . Warriors promote pair . . . Molleken to Giants?

F Stefan Meyer (Medicine Hat, 2000-05) signed a one-year extension with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). This season, he had 74 points, including 36 goals, in 59 games. He led the Clan in goals and points, and was fifth in the league’s scoring race.
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And then there was one.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes introduced Brent Kisio as the 14th head coach in franchise history on Thursday, leaving the Vancouver Giants as the only one of the WHL’s 22 teams without a head coach.
Kisio, 32, joins the Hurricanes after eight seasons on the coaching staff of the Calgary Hitmen, most recently as associate coach. He signed a three-year contract with Lethbridge, where he takes over from Peter Anholt.
Anholt joined the Hurricanes in December, taking over as general manager and head coach. The Hurricanes had fired general manager Brad Robson and head coach Drake Berehowsky. Immediately after the season, Anholt said he wouldn’t be back as coach. On May 4, he signed a three-year deal as GM.
Kisio, from Calgary, is the son of longtime Hitmen executive Kelly Kisio.
“I shortlisted three or four guys and went through the process,” Anholt said in a news release. “We had some real quality people, I just felt Brent really fit here better than any. I like his hockey pedigree, born and raised in the hockey world and being involved in the hockey business.”
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes also announced the signings of three prospects on Thursday. . . . F Jordy Bellerive, from North Vancouver, was the second overall selection in the 2014 bantam draft. GM Peter Anholt had announced Bellerive’s signing during a shareholders’ meeting on Monday night. He had 49 points, including 34 goals, in 27 games at the Okanagan Hockey Academy. In his previous two seasons, Bellerive totalled 242 points in 114 games at the North Shore Winter Club. . . . D Nick Watson was selected in the second round of the 2014 bantam draft. He played this season at the Delta Hockey Academy, earning nine points, three of them goals, in 24 games. . . . F Josh Tarzwell, from Red Deer, was a second-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. He played the past two seasons with the bantam AAA Red Deer Rebels White, totalling 60 points in 65 games.
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The QMJHL draft is scheduled for Saturday in Sherbrooke, Que., and the Saint John Sea Dogs are expected to select F Joey Veleno with the first overall selection.
Veleno, 15, was granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada on Thursday. He is the first Quebec player to be given such status.
It is believed that Hockey Canada originally refused Veleno’s request because it was received after a Feb. 15 deadline, but later reconsidered and then informed QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau of its decision yesterday.
The OHL has had four players — F Connor McDavid, F John Tavares, D Aaron Ekblad and D Sean Day — request and receive exceptional status. The WHL hasn’t had any such players.
Veleno is from Kirkland, Que. He had 52 points in 41 games for the midget AAA Lac-St-Louis Lions this season.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have promoted Doug Gasper and Bob Bartlett. . . . Gasper, the assistant head scout, now is the head scout, while Bartlett now is director, player development. . . . Gasper has been with the Warriors since 2007 and has been assistant head scout since 2012. . . . Bartlett, a former GM with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, joined the Warriors in 2009. In 2012, he was named senior scout/manager USA scouting and player development.
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It was just last fall when Gordie Howe, aka Mr. Hockey, seemed ready to depart this world. He was 86 years of age and had suffered a stroke. Shortly after, however, he underwent a controversial stem-cell treatment and, in short order, showed great improvement. Was it that treatment or was it angels? Reeves Wiedeman has that story right here in an enthralling piece from New York magazine.
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THE COACHING GAME:

The Belarusian Ice Hockey Association and former NHL player and coach Dave Lewis have agreed on a contract extension. It is expected to be a three-year deal that will take the team through the Olympic cycle. Belarus reached the quarter-finals at the 2015 IIHF World Championship and, in fact, improved to ninth in the world ranking. . . . The Belarusian association also announced that Pavel Perepekhin, 37, will be back as the head coach of its national junior team. He will be behind the bench at the 2016 World Junior Championship in Helsinki. He also will coach Dynamo Bobruisk, a Belarusian team that is affiliated with the KHL’s Dynamo Minsk. Bobruisk will play in the Belarusian Extraliga and its roster will include a number of national junior team players.
Meanwhile, as expected, USA Hockey announced Thursday that veteran NHL coach Ron Wilson will coach its national junior team at the 2016 World Junior Championship in Helsinki.
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Could veteran WHL coach Lorne Molleken be the next head coach of the Vancouver Giants? Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reported Thursday that Molleken, who last coached the Saskatoon Blades in 2013-14, is among those who have been interviewed for the vacant position. . . . Ewen tweeted: “Vancouver Giants braintrust meeting in coming days to contemplate coaches they've interviewed. Add ex-Saskatoon boss Lorne Molleken to list.” . . . That list is believed to have included Michael Dyck, Dallas Eakins, Ryan McGill and Ted Nolan. However, a tweet from Vancouver radio station News 1130 indicated that Nolan “is no longer in the mix. . . . Hearing Ryan McGill is very high on finalist list.” . . . According to Ewen, “Molleken and Dyck had conversations last year with the Vancouver Giants before they brought in Claude Noel to replace Troy Ward.” . . .
Meanwhile, Ewen also tweeted yesterday that the Giants “have fired five scouts from last season. No word yet on replacements. Club has missed #WHL playoffs 2 of last 3 years.” . . . In the WHL’s 2014-15 Guide, the Giants list a total of 14 scouts.
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Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reports that the Colorado Avalanche “could be a frontrunner in the Derek Ryan sweepstakes.” . . . Ryan, 28, played for the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs (2004-07). This season, playing for Orebro HK, he led the Swedish Hockey League, with 60 points. . . . The knock on Ryan has been his size — 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds. But with F Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who is of a similar size, making such an impact this seasons, some teams may be wanting to take a look. . . . Johnson, who is from Spokane, spent four seasons with the Chiefs. . . . Yes, Johnson and Ryan are friends. . . . Chambers’ report is right here.
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42 yrs ago, Rangers named Larry Popein bench boss but The Pope wouldn't keep the gig for long, lasting only 41 games. pic.twitter.com/eqkzr12XwD

— O-Pee-Chee Stars (@opeecheestars) June 5, 2015

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