Nanaimo closing in on WHL franchise? ... Americans 4-0 on east swing ... Steenbergen shows off six-pack

Debrecen (Hungary, MOL Liga) has signed F Jesse Schultz (Tri-City, Prince Albert, Kelowna, 1999-2003) and D Jesse Dudas (Lethbridge, Prince George, Swift Current, Regina, 2003-09) to contracts for the rest of the season. . . . This season, with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite), Schultz had eight goals and 11 assists in 23 games. He was released on Dec. 30. . . . Dudas had been with TPS Turku (Finland, Liiga), but was injured in the only game he played, a Champions League match in which he scored a goal. He was released on Nov. 28.

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The Kootenay Ice moving to Nanaimo? An expansion franchise? What will it be? Who knows, but it seems that talks are ongoing . . .

According to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, the City of Nanaimo and the WHL are involved in talks that could lead to a franchise landing in the Vancouver Island City.

Tamara Cummingham of the News Bulletin reports that, according to city staff, “negotiations” between the WHL and the city “leading to a memorandum of understanding for one of its teams (are) underway.”

Nanaimo has yet to hold a referendum on an $86.6-million event centre, something that likely will happen in March.

Despite that, Cunningham reports, the city has “hired a legal advisor, financial advisor and put out requests for qualifications for architects, project management and an operations manager.”

Cunningham’s story is right here.

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You may have read here yesterday that the Red Deer Rebels had dropped veteran F Matt Campese, 19, and that he was returning to the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors. It turns out that Campese, who has a goal and an assist with the Rebels, will stay in Red Deer for the remainder of this season.

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A number of players who weren’t involved in deals at Tuesday’s WHL trade deadline are on the move. Here’s a look . . .

F Dakota Odgers, 20, has joined the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers. He was released by the Moose Jaw Warriors at the trade deadline. . . .

D Zach Wytinck, 17, has moved from the Brandon Wheat Kings to the midget AAA Southwest Cougars, while F Garrett Armour, 19, will play for the MJHL’s Winnipeg Blues. . . .

D Ethan King, 17, who had been with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, has been added to the roster of the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound King is from Vernon, B.C. . . .

F Ethan O’Rourke, 17, has moved from the Prince George Cougars to the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings. He is the son of Cougars’ associate coach Steve O’Rourke. . . .

The Regina Pats have brought in F Duncan Pierce, 16, from the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers, while dropping D Riley Bruce, 17, from their roster. Bruce is headed for the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons. Bruce had a goal and two assists in 18 games with the Pats. . . . Pierce has 10 goals and 13 assists in 25 games with the Thrashers. His arrival leaves the Pats with 13 forwards, to go with three goaltenders — Jordan Hollett is injured — and seven defencemen.

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The Vancouver Giants, fresh off an Alberta swing and having traded away F Radovan Bondra, F Thomas Foster and D Dmitry Osipov, are at home to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday night. . . . Postmedia’s Steve Ewen reports that F Tyler Benson, who has missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury, skated Wednesday in a non-contact sweater, as did F Dawson Holt and F Johnny Wesley. . . . D Darian Skeoch, who has been out with an ankle injury, took part in the full practice so should play Friday.

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The Portland Winterhawks have rescheduled a pair of games that were postponed by inclement weather over the weekend. . . . The game with the Kamloops Blazers that was to have been played on Sunday now is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m., at the Moda Center. . . . The game with the Everett Silvertips that was to have been played on Saturday has been moved to Tuesday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

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The WHL hasn’t seen a sniper like Brian Propp since, well, Brian Propp. No one could score like Propp when he played for the Brandon Wheat Kings in the late 1970s, and he went on to an NHL career in which he totalled 1,004 points in 1,016 games. . . . Propp suffered a stroke more than a year ago, but has recovered to the point where he will be playing in a Philadelphia Flyers alumni game on Saturday. Adam Kimelman of nhl.com has more right here on Propp’s remarkable recovery and how he’s helping others.

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.@joachimblich and @BDeJong21 created their own snow den for their #WinterhawksSnowDay pic.twitter.com/t33ABG0J3J

— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) January 11, 2017

.@coltonveloso17, @Jones4Caleb, @iverke and @henrijokiharju have their fort ready for the neighborhood snowball fight! #WinterhawksSnowDay pic.twitter.com/kf0mdOJYRg

— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) January 11, 2017

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

@TCAmericans @M_14Geekie he put on a show for his first game in Manitoba #4assist pic.twitter.com/lkmi8Bvl0i

— Riley (@RileyBoles6) January 12, 2017

At Brandon, F Jordan Topping scored the game’s last three goals as the Tri-City Americans beat the

JORDAN TOPPING

Wheat Kings, 5-2. . . . The Wheat Kings took a 2-0 lead on goals from F Ty Lewis (22), at 1:43 of the first period, and F Baron Thompson (2), 38 seconds into the second period. . . . D Parker Wotherspoon got the Americans on the scoreboard, with his seventh goal, at 4:25 of the second. . . . F Parker AuCoin pulled Tri-City even with his 15th goal, his third shorthanded, at 9:21. . . . Topping, who has nine goals, gave the Americans the lead at 12:22, then added insurance at 5:17 and 19:44 of the third. His second goal came via a PP and the third was an empty-netter. . . . Tri-City F Morgan Geekie, who is from nearby Strathclair, Man., drew four assists and you can bet that his father, Craig, a former WHLer (Brandon, Spokane, 1991-94), was in attendance. . . . The Americans also got three assists from F Tyler Sandhu. . . . Geekie and Sandhu drew the assists on all three of Topping’s goals. . . . G Rylan Parenteau stopped 29 shots for the victory, while Brandon’s Logan Thompson also blocked 29. . . . The Americans were 1-5 on the PP; the Wheat Kings were 0-5. . . . The Wheat Kings lost F Reid Duke with a kneeing major and game misconduct at 2:41 of the third period. . . . Tri-City F Michael Rasmussen was scratched for a second straight game. . . . The Americans (26-17-3) have won four in a row, all on an East Division swing. They are second in the U.S. Division, four points behind the Everett Silvertips, who have eight games in hand. . . . The Wheat Kings (20-17-4) had won their previous two games. They hold down the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 3,233.

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At Edmonton, the Lethbridge Hurricanes scored twice before the game was three minutes old and went

ALEC BAER

on to a 7-4 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . F Zak Zborosky, in his first game with the Hurricanes after being acquired from the Kootenay Ice, scored on his first shot on his first, at 1:06 of the first period. . . . He’s got 29 goals. . . . F Jordy Bellerive made it 2-0 at 2:29. . . . Edmonton head coach Steve Hamilton changed goaltenders, sending Josh Dechaine in for Patrick Dea at 2:29. . . . The Hurricanes scored off a 2-on-0 break with F Egor Babenko getting his 14th goal at 4:10. . . . The visitors went up 4-0 when F Tyler Wong got No. 29, at 13:41. . . . The Oil Kings made a game of it with three goals in 35 seconds early in the second period. . . . F Ty Gerla scored tgwice, giving him four goals, at 2:58 and 3:06, and D Will Warm added his sixth goal, at 3:33. . . . But the Hurricanes regained control on two goals from F Alec Baer, in his first game since coming over from the Vancouver Giants. He counted at 5:40 and 12:14 of the second period, giving him five goals this season. . . . Bellerive’s second goal of the game, and 19th this season, added more insurance 36 seconds into the third period. . . . Edmonton D Conner McDonald (2) closed out the scoring with his first goal since being acquired last week from the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Hurricanes got two assists from each of D Brennan Menell, F Giorgio Estephan and D Igor Merezhko, and one each from Wong, Zborosky and Babenko. . . . F Brett Kemp, who was acquired from the Everett Silvertips, had three assists for Edmonton, with McDonald and Gerla each getting one. . . . G Stuart Skinner stopped 39 shots for Lethbridge. . . . At the other end, Dea gave up three goals on five shots, while Dechaine was beaten five times on 31 shots. . . . The Hurricanes were 1-4 on the PP; the Oil Kings were 0-2. . . . F Matt Alfaro, who came over from the Ice with Zborosky, was scratched with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Oil Kings are without F Riley Stadel, who was acquired from the Kelowna Rockets last week. He is out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Hurricanes (23-15-5) have won three straight and are a solid second in the Central Division. . . . The Oil Kings (18-21-4) have lost four in a row. They hold down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 5,442.

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At Everett, G Mario Petit and G Dorrin Luding combined for 23 saves in sharing the shutout as the

DORRIN LUDING

Silvertips beat the Spokane Chiefs, 5-0. . . . With Carter Hart yet to return to Everett’s lineup after playing for Canada at the World Junior Championship, Petit started and stopped 18 shots in 52:36. . . . Luding, a 17-year-old from Prince George, came on to make his WHL debut with 7:24 to play and stopped five shots. . . . F Brandson Hein scored his first goal, at 2:40 of the second period, and it stood up as the winner. . . . Hein, an 18-year-old from Winnipeg, scored in his 21st game. . . . F Connor Dewar (6) made it 2-0 at 11:57 of the second period and F Devon Skoleski (6) made it 3-0, while shorthanded, at 5:29 of the third. . . . F Jake Christiansen (3) and F Riley Sutter (13) added goals later in the third period. . . . Everett got two assists from F Bradly Goethals, while Skoleski added an assist to his goal. . . . Silvertips D Kevin Davis recorded one assist to run his point streak to 13 games, the longest active streak in the WHL at this point. . . . Spokane G Dawson Weatherill made 29 stops. . . . Everett was 1-3 on the PP; Spokane was 0-2. . . . The Silvertips were without D Aaron Irving and D Lucas Skrumeda. . . . Everett (26-5-7) had lost its previous two games (0-1-1). It is tied for third in the overall standings, two points behind the Regina Pats and one behind the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Chiefs (17-18-7) have lost three in a row (0-2-1) and remain two points out of a playoff spot. . . . Announced attendance: 3,225.

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When I said I wanted it to feel like Florida I meant temperature, not attendance. #MHTigers

— Ryan McCracken (@MHNMcCracken) January 12, 2017

At Medicine Hat, the Prince George Cougars scored two third-period goals as they beat the Tigers, 4-3. .

JARED BETHUNE

. . F Radovan Bondra, who was acquired Tuesday from the Vancouver Giants, scored his 20th goal to tie the score just 37 seconds into the period. . . . F Jared Bethune broke the tie on a PP, at 7:06. He’s got 12 goals. . . . D Sam Ruopp (3) had given the visitors a 1-0 lead at 5:58 of the first period. . . . The Tigers took the lead on goals from F Steve Owre (15), at 10:05 of the first, and F Zach Fischer (23), on a PP, at 8:26 of the second period. . . . The Cougars tied it when F Jesse Gabrielle scored No. 20, at 9:26. . . . That lasted until 11:50 when F Matt Bradley’s 19th goal gave the home side a 3-2 lead. . . . Gabrielle and Bondra added an assist each, as did Fischer and Owre. . . . G Ty Edmonds stopped 29 shots in earning his 22nd victory of the season, one more than he put up last season and six fewer than in 2014-15. . . . Tigers G Nick Schneider, who leads the WHL with 26 victories, stopped 27 shots. . . . The Tigers were 1-4 on the PP; the Cougars were 1-5. . . . D Brendan Guhle was back in the Cougars’ lineup after missing one game due to illness. . . . The Cougars (29-12-2) moved past the Tigers (29-13-1) and into second place in the overall standings, two points behind the idle Regina Pats (27-4-7). . . . The Tigers had won their previous two games. . . . Announced attendance: 2,967.

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At Prince Albert, D Vladislav Yeryomenko scored at 2:11 of OT to give the Calgary Hitmen a 5-4 victory

VLADISLAV YERYOMENKO

over the Raiders. . . . It was Yeryomenko’s fourth goal this season. . . . The teams took turns scoring back-to-back goals in this one. . . . F Justyn Gurney (2) and F Andrei Grishakov (5) gave Calgary a 2-0 lead with goals at 9:21 and 11:51 of the first period. . . . The Raiders tied it on second-period goals from F Adam Kadlec (3) and D Kolten Olynek (9). . . . D Brady Reagan (2) gave Calgary a 3-2 lead at 13:22 of the second and F Jakob Stukel made it 4-1 just five seconds into the third period. . . . F Jordy Stallard, who was acquired from the Hitmen at the trade deadline, bot his ninth goal at 8:15 to get the Raiders to within one. . . . F Cavin Leth tied with his 11th goal, at 13:56. . . . F Parker Kelly had two assists for the Raiders, with Kadlec and Olynek getting one each. . . . G Trevor Martin, in his first appearance since joining the Hitmen this week, stopped 25 shots. . . . The Raiders got 27 stops from G Ian Scott. . . . Calgary was 0-1 on the PP; Prince Albert was 0-3. . . . The Hitmen lost 5-4 in OT to the Blades in Saskatoon on Tuesday night. . . . Calgary (15-19-6) had lost its previous five games (0-2-3). It is four points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Raiders (8-31-4) have lost seven in a row (0-5-2). . . . Announced attendance: 1,815.

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At Swift Current, F Tyler Steenbergen scored two goals and added four assists to lead the Broncos to an

TYLER STEENBERGEN

8-3 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Steenbergen has 12 points in his last four games and 21 in his last 10. In that 10-game stretch, he also has three two-point games, a three-pointer and a four-pointer. . . . The teams were tied 2-2 after the first period, but the Broncos took control with four goals in in 2:16 late in the second. . . . Steenbergen, who has 32 goals, scored at 15:14 and 16:41, with F Conner Chaulk getting his fifth goal at 17:20 and F Aleksi Heponiemi scoring No. 14 at 17:30. . . . Steenbergen, an 18-year-old from Sylvan Lake, Alta., has 55 points, including 32 goals, in 43 games. Last season, as a freshman, he finished with 20 goals and 26 assists in 67 games. His fifth point last night was No. 100 for his career. . . . Swift Current F Glenn Gawdin scored the game’s last two goals — he’s got 15 — and also had two assists, while Heponiemi also had two goals and two assists. Gawdin, Steenbergen and Heponiemi combined for 14 points. . . . Broncos D Max Lajoie had two assists, too. . . . F Vince Loschiavo scored his 14th goal and added an assist for the Ice. . . . The Broncos got 24 saves from G Taz Burman, while Kootenay’s Jakob Walter stopped 35 shots. . . . Kootenay was 2-3 on the PP; Swift Current was 0-3. . . . Swift Current (24-12-7) has won two in a row and is third in the East Division, two points behind the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Ice (10-25-8) had won its previous two games. . . . Announced attendance: 1,647.

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At Victoria, the Kelowna Rockets scored the game’s last two goals and beat the Royals, 4-3. . . . D Cal

CALVIN THURKAUF

Foote (4) pulled the Rockets into a 3-3 tie with a PP goal, at 14:36 of the third period. . . . Kelowna F Calvin Thurkauf broke the tie with his 18th goal, at 15:14 of the third period. . . . F Tomas Soustal had given the visitors a 1-0 lead at 12:43 of the first period. . . . Victoria F Vladimir Bobylev (3) tied it at 2:28 of the second period and F Ryan Peckford (13) gave the home side a 2-1 lead, on a PP, at 15:33. . . . F Dillon Dube’s third goal pulled the Rockets into a 2-2 tie at 8:32 of the third period. . . . F Matt Phillips scored No. 27 at 11:59, giving his guys a 3-2 lead. . . . The Rockets got three assists from F Kole Lind, with Dube and Foote adding one each. . . . Bobylev also had two assists for the Royals. . . . Kelowna G Michael Herringer stopped 19 shots, 13 fewer than Victoria’s Griffen Outhouse. . . . The Rockets were 1-4 on the PP; the Royals were 1-8. . . . Kelowna (25-15-3) has won two in a row and is tied with the idle Kamloops Blazers for second in the B.C. Division. . . . Victoria (22-17-4) has lost two straight and is five points behind Kamloops and Kelowna. . . . The teams will meet in Victoria again on Friday night. . . . Announced attendance: 3,783.

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THURSDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Kootenay at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.

Everett at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Prince George at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.

Spokane at Portland, 7 p.m.

Red Deer at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Tri-City at Regina, 7 p.m.

Moose Jaw vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.

Kelowna at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

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.

Nanaimo closing in on new arena? . . . Pats pleased with first half . . . Parker goes fishing

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TAKING NOTE

The streets were a mess on Monday, and there were two accidents in downtown Kamloops. Slow down and enjoy the holiday season, folks. . . . To mellow things out a bit, right here is Celtic Woman with . . . Do You Hear What I Hear?

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F Radek Meidl (Seattle, Tri-City, 2006-08) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Dukla Trenčín (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, he had a goal and three assists in 27 games with Frýdek-Místek (Czech Republic, 1. Liga).

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Could the WHL have a team in Nanaimo, B.C., when the 2017-18 season begins?

There are still a number of stumbling blocks, including a possible referendum on a new arena, but the return of Nanaimo to the WHL may be closer today than at any time since the Islanders completed their only season (1982-83) in the city.

Kendall Hanson of CHEK-TV on Vancouver Island reported Monday that city staff has asked city council for direction on entering “into negotiations with the Western Hockey League and (a) WHL team leading to a memorandum of understanding in contemplation of (the) location of (a) WHL team in the city of Nanaimo beginning with the next WHL season — this even though the proposed Events Centre couldn’t be built before September of 2019.”

According to Hanson, Councillor Bill Bestwick said: “What we do know is that a team is available and what we do know is that Frank Crane Arena is 45 years old and what we do know is that if we wait five or 10 or 15 more years there might not be a team available and assuredly the event centre would cost $5-, $10-, $15-, $20-million more.”

While Nanaimo continues to talk about building an $86-million entertainment centre a decision whether to go ahead hasn’t been made. Discussions on exactly that were ongoing at a council meeting on Monday night.

Should the city choose to proceed with the project, the next step would be to hold a referendum. Hanson reported that while organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Business Improvement Association and Port Authority are in favour, there is opposition, starting with the Protection Island Neighbourhood Association.

Should the project get the go-ahead at some point in the not-too-distant future, it would mean a WHL team in Nanaimo would have to spend at least two seasons in the Frank Crane Arena, a facility that seats around 2,400 and is home to the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers.

The obvious candidate, of course, is the Kootenay Ice, a franchise that is owned by the Chynoweth family and has been for sale since 2012.

This season, after 19 home dates, the Ice is averaging 1,672 fans per game based on announced attendances. That is the poorest average attendance in the 22-team WHL. It also is a decrease of 285 from last season.

You have to wonder if the franchise might be better off drawing 2,400 fans in Nanaimo — assuming, that is, that it would be able to attract that many fans — than watching its fan base disappear in Cranbrook.

Jeff Chynoweth, the Ice’s governor, president and general manager, told Taking Note last night that he has “not spoken to anyone from Nanaimo.”

“But,” he added, “with everyone knowing our franchise is for sale, I am sure we will get lumped (in with) any potential new city or building.”

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The Regina Pats have never won 50 games in a WHL regular season. So they definitely have something to shoot for after getting to the Christmas break with a 22-3-6 record.

While they are fourth in the overall standings, four points being Prince George, the Pats hold five games in hand on the Cougars. Regina is three points behind the second-place Everett Silvertips, with the Pats holding two games in hand. The Medicine Hat Tigers are third, one point ahead of Regina, which holds five games in hand.

“If you would have told us when we started camp that on Dec. 17 we’d have three regulation losses, we would have probably said you had too much to drink,” John Paddock, the Pats’ general manager and head coach, told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post in a story that is right here. “In saying that, there are some factors to it. To start with, we took advantage of all the (early) home games but we’ve also gone out and played pretty good on the road. We rode that wave.”

Obviously, the Pats are going to have a busy second half, having played only 31 games going into the break.

The 1978-79 Brandon Wheat Kings hold the single-season record for fewest losses (5). They finished that season at 58-5-9, with the 9 representing ties.

That season, the Wheat Kings went into an 18-day Christmas break with a 26-1-5 record. It is rather doubtful that the Pats can play their final 41 games without losing more than twice, although some might say that Regina actually has lost nine games to date.

Anyway . . . when that Brandon team broke for Christmas, it already had three players — linemates — with at least 40 points. Left-winger Brian Propp had 99 points, including 46 goals, in 31 games. Right-winger Ray Allison had 85 points, 31 of them goals, in 28 games. Centre Laurie Boschman was at 80 points, including 36 goals, in 32 games. Propp and Allison were running 1-2 in the scoring race.

It is interesting that the Wheat Kings had an 18-day break that season. Propp, Allison and D Brad McCrimmon joined the New Westminster Bruins during the break and played in the World Junior Championship in Sweden. Boschman, G Rick Knickle, D Mike Perovich and D Tim Lockridge played in the Labatt Cup, a junior tournament that was held in various Ontario cities.

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Team Canada dumped Finland 5-0 in a Monday night exhibition game between two national junior teams at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Both teams are preparing for the 2017 World Junior Championship that is scheduled to begin in Toronto and Montreal on Dec. 26. . . . Canada got two goals from each of F Tyson Jost (North Dakota) and F Taylor Raddysh (Erie Otters), with F Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds) adding one. Goaltender Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips) earned the shutout with 25 saves. . . . Next up for Canada is an exhibition game against Czech Republic in Ottawa on Wednesday. Canada also will play Switzerland, in Toronto on Friday.

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D Slava Demin, 16, of the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild has committed to the U of Denver where he will play for the Pioneers. Demin, from Cypress, Calif., was a sixth-round selection by the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. He has 16 points, including four goals, in 30 games with the Wild.

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Brent Parker has hung up the ‘Gone Fishing’ sign. The former president, governor and general manager of the Regina Pats announced Monday that he has “taken a sales and marketing position with Rodgers Fishing Lodge in Eliza Inlet on the beautiful West Coast of Vancouver Island.” . . . According to Parker, the lodge is “one of the oldest and most established lodges in B.C., and provide a luxury fishing experience for small groups or large corporate parties.” . . . So if you are wanting to fish for salmon, halibut or tuna, you may want to think about sending Parker an email at brentparker@sasktel.net for some info. . . . Sounds like a good spot for a meeting of the WHL board of governors and/or general managers.

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Two stepsons of Brent Stark, the owner and president of the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines, were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide involving their father in Spruce Grove, Alta., on Monday. The bodies of the boys, ages 11 and 13, were found when Stark and their mother, Tracy, arrived to pick them up and take them to Whitecourt for holidays. . . . “We both showed up to the home and a coward of a father took his life and his two boys’ lives,” Stark told Andrea Ross of CBC News. . . . There’s more right here.

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MAILBAG:

L C (not sure if that’s his/her real name) writes:

“Great blog Greg (sic), but I'm getting tired of seeing all the Lefty bashing / tweets of soon to be President Trump. If you have to insist on getting political, maybe include some sweet heart Justin Trudeau bashing to even it out. I'm starting to think this is a CBC / Left Wing Media affiliated blog.”

(Editor’s note: L C, I am wondering if you’re related to the late L.C. Greenwood? What a fine footballer he was. . . . Just want you to know that I am neither a left wing, nor a right wing. I’m a centre.)

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DEC. 19-26:

No Games Scheduled.

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.

Chiefs get Carter . . . Cougars change imports . . . A conversation with M.J.

My wife, Dorothy, is one of the co-honourees — along with her friend Margaret Thompson — of the 2016 Kamloops Kidney Walk. Each year, the walk salutes someone who has worked to shine a light on kidney transplants and organ donorship. Dorothy, who had a kidney transplant almost three years ago, will take part in her third straight Kidney Walk on Sept. 25.

The hockey community, especially those of you who stop by here, have always been terrific in supporting her. If you would like to be part of her team and sponsor her, please click right here.

F J.T. Barnett (Vancouver, Kamloops, Everett, Kelowna, 2008-13) assigned by CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL) to their farm club, Zvezda Chekhov (Russia, Vysshaya Liga). . . .

F James Wright (Vancouver, 2005-10) has signed a one-year contract with Admiral Vladivostok (Russia, KHL). Last season, with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL), he had 14 goals and 27 assists in 73 games. . . . There now are three former Vancouver Giants with Admiral: Wright, Jon Blum, and Mikhail Fisenko. All were teammates in 2008-09.

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Scott Carter is the new general manager of the Spokane Chiefs. He takes over from Tim Speltz, who left after 26 years in the position. Speltz now is the director of western area scouting with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.

Carter, who turned 55 on Thursday, was born and raised in Penticton. He helped bring the junior A 

Vees back to relevancy and was their managing partner. He also did a stint as president and general manager, and was named the BCHL’s executive of the year in 2005.

Carter was a co-founder of the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame, which is based in Penticton. He was inducted into the hall in 2012.

In the business world, he became involved with Vaughn Custom Sports in 1983, and has been part-owner and president since 1996.

In 1994, he helped bring the Western Professional Hockey League into being, later selling his shares in order to become a full partner in Vaughn.

He also has scouted for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks. Most recently, he has done consulting work with the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, working with the academies to help them maintain certain standards.

“We draft and sign what we call ‘Chief type’ players,” Brett said in a news release, “and wanted a guy that would fit into that culture but also bring new ideas. We’re always looking for ways to get better. The more I got to know Scott and checked in with his references, it was clear that we made the right choice.”

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The Prince George Cougars added one import to their roster while dropping another on Thursday. . . . F Yan Khomenko, 18, of St. Petersburg, Russia, is in, while Swedish F Axel Jonsson Fjallby is out. . . . The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Khomenko had five goals and four assists in 45 games with the Everett Silvertips last season. They selected him in the CHL’s 2015 import draft. . . . Fjallby, 18, was a fifth-round pick by the Washington Capitals in the 2016 NHL draft. The Cougars selected him in the CHL’s 2016 import draft. He is likely to play this season with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. . . . Prince George’s other import is sophomore F Bartek Bison, who is from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

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The Saskatoon Blades have signed F Logan Doust to a WHL contract. Doust, from North Vancouver, was a ninth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft. He played last season with the North Shore Winter Club’s bantam AAA team. His regular-season stats aren’t available, but Small Thoughts At Large has him with a goal and three assists in five games at the St. Albert tournament and two goals in five games with the Wild at the U-16 B.C. Cup. . . . The Blades also signed F Josh Bruce, 18, who is from Surrey, B.C. Last season, the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder had 28 points, including 12 goals, in 39 games with the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget League.

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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed F Jayden Davis and F Connor Lyons, both of whom are list players. . . . Davis, who will turn 17 in November, is from Alameda, Sask. Last season, his second with the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals, the 5-foot-10, 175-pounder had 23 points, 10 of them goals, in 39 games. . . . Lyons, 17, is a list player from Lethbridge. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder played last season with the midget AAA Lethbridge Hurricanes, putting up 23 points, including seven goals, in 34 games. His father, Corey, is a former Hurricanes forward.

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The Kootenay Ice has signed F Blake Allan, a third-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. Allan, from Humboldt, Sask., had 40 points, including 18 goals, in 30 games with the bantam AA Humboldt Broncos last season.

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Portland-based journalist Dwight Jaynes is the host of a podcast these days — the Podfather Godcast — and he interviewed Mike Johnston, the vice-president, general manager and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, the other day. There is lots right here, including Johnston’s being fired last season from his position as head coach of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, who went on to win the Stanley Cup. As usual, Johnston is open and honest.

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It is going on a year since former Brandon Wheat Kings scoring star Brian Propp had a stroke. Today, after a month in Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia and a whole lot of hard work, and with some help from a “robotic gait-training system,” Propp is well on the road to recovery. He now is working at giving back. . . . Brian Hickey of PhillyVoice has more right here.

www.phillyvoice.com/recovering-stroke-former-flyer-brian-propp-establishes-scholarship-program/

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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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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

In Kennewick, Wash., F Devon Skoleski’s goal ended a six-round shootout and gave the Everett Silvertips a 5-4 victory over the Portland Winterhawks (3-0-1). F Orrin Centazzo also scored for Everett (2-2-1) in the shootout, while F Skyler McKenzie did the same for Portland. The Winterhawks held 3-0 and 4-1 leads, only to have Everett score three straight goals. F Brian King got the Silvertips’ last two goals, at 8:30 and 15:33 of the third period. F Connor Dewar scored his fourth goal of the preseason for the Silvertips. F Graham Millar had three assists for Everett. Portland got two goals from F Bronson Sharp and two assists from McKenzie. . . . F Jansen Harkins scored his second goal 53 seconds into OT to give the Prince George Cougars a 5-4 victory over the Kootenay Ice. The Cougars held 3-0 and 4-3 leads, only to have F Jared Legien force OT with his second goal of the game at 19:26 of the third period. F Jesse Gabrielle and D Max Martin each had three assists for the Cougars (2-2-0). The Ice (0-0-1) got two assists from F Max Patterson. . . .

In Prince Albert, F Simon Stransky had a goal and two assists to lead the Raiders to a 5-3 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. F Drew Warkentine and F Reid Gardiner had two assists each for the winners. The Blades got two assists from D Anthony Bishop. Saskatoon held a 42-26 edge in shots. The Raiders are 1-1-0; the Blades 2-2-0.

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Hearing disgruntled @WHLGiants D Brennan Menell is talking with the Fargo Force of the USHL.

— Steve Ewen (@SteveEwen) September 8, 2016

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Rockets grab Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy

Canadian Olympic team veteran Hayley Wickenheiser has sent her
best wishes to Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon, who remains in Royal
University Hospital in Saskatoon battling meningitis.

THE MacBETH REPORT:

F Brett Breitkreuz (Kelowna, Edmonton, Vancouver, 2006-10) has signed a one-year extension with Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). In 52 games this season, he had six goals and six assists.
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You may recall a few weeks back when The MacBeth Report brought news of two former WHLers, Tyler Mosienko and Kirill Starkov, who were playing in Denmark and found themselves caught up in a gambling scandal. . . . Well, disciplinary measures have been handed down and details are right here. . . . Mosienko now is with the ECHL’s Alaska Aces and, in fact, has nine points in 12 games.
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The Chilliwack Chiefs without Harvey Smyl? That's like eggs without bacon, like a hot dog without mustard, like Christmas without Santa Claus. But that will be the case next season as the Chiefs announced Wednesday evening that Smyl is stepping down as general manager and head coach of the BCHL franchise. Smyl has been with the Chiefs through 21 seasons. According to a Chiefs' news release, "Smyl informed Chiefs’ President Glen Ringdal on Tuesday that he will not renew his contract which expires at the end of May, but instead will pursue new directions and interests." . . . The Chiefs made the playoffs in 20 of Smyl's 21 seasons there. He is a four-time winner of the BCHL's coach-of-the-year award.
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The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League has a Hall of Fame and has announced its Class of 2014.
Inductions will take place July 25 as part of SJHL Hall of Fame Weekend in Melfort. Included in the festivities will be a dinner and, yes, a golf tournament.
Going into the Hall of Fame this time will be former Melfort Mustangs head coach Kevin Dickie, former on-ice official Brad Meier, former Melfort D Willie Mitchell, Brian Munz, a one-time radio voice of Humboldt Broncos, Nipawin Hawks and Melfort, former SJHL player and coach Mark Odnokon, former G Rick Schultz, who now is chairman of the SJHL’s board of directors, Neil Shewchuk, who did play-by-play in the SJHL for 20 years, long-time SJHL general manager and executive Leonard Strandberg and the 1995-96 Melfort Mustangs.
For more, check out Benny Walchuk’s blog, Walchuk’s World, right here.
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Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame announced its 2014 inductees in January. I was away and missed it, so here they are:
Players -- Brian Propp, Brad McCrimmon, Johnny Gottselig, Jim Neilson
Builders -- Terry Simpson, Wayne Kartusch, Emile Francis
Official -- Wes Smith
Grassroots -- Bruce Clements
Teams -- 1982 Prince Albert Raiders, 1972 Rosetown Redwings
There is more right here.
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The WHL doesn't have a Hall of Fame. Sadly . . .
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Prior to Wednesday's home game, the Regina Pats saluted four long-time volunteers as Builders of the organization. Off-ice officials Gary Renner and Bill White, Dr. Ian Hill and Dr. Ralph Berdan join Graham Tuer, Lorne Davis, Bob Turner, Del Wilson, Gord Staseson and Al Ritchie as honoured Builders. . . . Renner was a member of the team's off-ice crew for 44 years, while White was there for 42 years. . . . Dr. Hill was the club's doctor for 45 years before retiring last season. Dr. Berdan has been the team dentist for 35 years, although he is stepping aside after this season.
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In hockey season, among other things, Steve Ewen covers the Vancouver Giants for the Vancouver Province. In the summer, you can find him at Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium covering the Vancouver Canadians. . . . On Wednesday, the Canadians announced that they will induct Ewen into their Broadcast and Journalism Hall of Fame on Aug. 30. Being enshrined with Ewen will be broadcaster Bob Robertson. . . . Ewen has covered the Canadians for 14 seasons and has covered all six of their Northwest League playoff runs.
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The City of Lethbridge has a water problem brought on by turbidity and has declared a state of emergency. One of the things the city has done is shut down all of its arenas. The Hurricanes are scheduled to play host to the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday; an announcement is expected to be made sometime today as to whether that game will go ahead at the Enmax Centre. . . .
The Brandon Wheat Kings are fighting for their playoff lives and may get some help in time for their next game. The Wheat Kings are to play the Pats in Regina on Friday and Brandon may have F Peter Quenneville back in their lineup. Quenneville, who has 45 points, including 16 goals, in 42 games, hasn’t played since Feb. 17, but took part in a full practice on Wednesday. . . . F Jens Meilleur, a fourth-year skater who has been out since Feb. 26, was on the ice in a non-contact sweater. . . .
The Saskatoon Blades will win fewer than 20 games for the sixth time in franchise history. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix provides a pretty good look right here at what it was like on a Blades team that won only seven games.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Brandon (8)
Regina (2) vs. Red Deer (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
(NOTE: A tie for a conference‘s final playoff spot will result in a tiebreaker game. Prince Albert is two points behind Red Deer and Brandon; each of the three teams has two games remaining.)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
(NOTE: Kelowna-Tri-City and Portland-Vancouver are locked in as first-round series.)
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THURSDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
No games scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
Portland at Seattle, 7:35 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Medicine Hat, the Edmonton Oil Kings moved back into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-1 victory over the Tigers. . . . F Luke Bertolucci, with his sixth, in the first period, and D Griffin Reinhart, with his fourth, at 1:04 of the second on a PP, gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. . . . Tigers F Cole Sanford got his guys within one when he scored his 31st at 16:15 of the second. . . . Edmonton F Edgars Kulda added insurance with his 29th, into an empty net, at 19:57 of the third. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 30 shots, five fewer than Medicine Hat's Marek Langhamer. . . . Edmonton F Reid Petryk was helped off the ice in the third period. Darren Steinke of the Medicine Hat News tweeted that Petryk appeared unable to put any weight on his left leg, but that he seemed OK after the game. . . . Tigers D Dylan Bredo played in his 288th consecutive regular-season game, which ties him for fourth with F Steve Kuhn, who played for the Spokane Chiefs, in the WHL record book. F Justin Feser, who played for the Tri-City Americans, holds the WHL record (321). . . . Steinke has a story on Bredo and his accomplishment right here. . . . The Oil Kings (49-18-3) have 101 points, the third straight season in which they surpassed 100. They need one victory or a Calgary Hitmen loss in regulation to wrap up first place in the Eastern Conference for a third straight season. . . . The Tigers (42-24-4) will finish fourth in the conference and will play the Kootenay Ice or Swift Current Broncos in the first round. . . .

In Red Deer, G Patrik Bartosak stopped 46 shots to lead the Rebels to a 3-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Rebels D Nick Charif gave his guys a 2-0 lead with this third goal at 6:04 of the second period. . . . Ice F Jaedon Descheneau scored his 43rd just 53 seconds later. . . . Red Deer F Scott Feser upped the lead to 3-1 with this 14th at 16:04 of the third. . . . F Sam Reinhart had two assists for the Ice as he closed to within one of the franchise record for assists in one season. F Jarrett Stoll holds the record of 66 from 2000-01. Reinhart has 99 points this season; Stoll is the last Kootenay player to reach 100 points; he had 106 in 2000-01. . . . Red Deer F Wyatt Johnson drew two assists. . . . The Ice again dressed 16 skaters, two under the maximum. They remain without D Landon Cross and D Landon Peel. . . . Red Deer (34-31-5) is tied with the Brandon Wheat Kings for seventh in the Eastern Conference. Red Deer holds the edge in the tiebreaker, with a 34-32 edge in victories. . . . The Ice (39-27-4) is fifth in the conference, one point ahead of Swift Current. . . .

In Regina, F Dyson Stevenson and F Connor Gay each scored twice as the Pats dumped the Prince Albert Raiders, 7-1. . . . Stevenson has 38 goals, while Gay now has 17. . . . Regina F Morgan Klimchuk scored his 30th goal, a shorthanded effort, while F Dryden Hunt got his 20th. . . . Pats F Chandler Stephenson scored his 20th goal at 17:46 of the second period. It was his eighth shorthanded goal this season. . . . Regina has scored a WHL-leading 17 shorthanded goals, but its penalty killing is ranked 20th. . . . Stephenson also had three assists. . . . (I only hope Chandler's nickname is PH and Dyson answers to V.) . . . Raiders F Collin Valcourt scored the game's first goal, his 25th, but his side then gave up seven. . . . Regina G Dawson MacAuley stopped 28 shots. . . . Regina D Isaac Schacher was pointless but finished plus-4. . . . Regina (39-25-6) hasn’t won 40 games since 2007-08 when it last finished atop the East Division. With two games to play, the Pats lead the division by three points over Swift Current. Each team has two games remaining. . . . The Raiders (33-32-5), who have lost their last two games, slid into ninth place in the Eastern Conference, two points out of a playoff spot. They have two games remaining. . . .

In Swift Current, F Colby Cave broke a 5-5 tie with 20.9 seconds left in the third period as the Broncos beat the Saskatoon Blades, 6-5. . . . Cave's 32nd goal came 1:03 after Saskatoon D Jordan Thomson went off for holding, only the game's fifth minor penalty. . . . F Graham Black had a goal, his 34th, and three assists for the Broncos. . . . Saskatoon led 3-0 before the game was 12 minutes old and drove G Eetu Laurikainen to the bench in the process. Landon Bow came on to stop 15 of 18 shots. . . . Saskatoon D MacKenzie Johnston, a 20-yer-old playing in his hometown for the last time, gave the Blades a 4-1 lead with his fourth goal 24 seconds into the second period. . . . After goals from F Jay Merkley, his 31st, and F Glenn Gawdin, his ninth, Black tied it at 9:44 of the second. . . . F Jake DeBrusk, who had two assists, gave the Broncos the lead with his 15th goal at 11:10. . . . Saskatoon F Cory Millette tied it with his 16th just 10 seconds into the third. . . . F Ryan Graham scored twice for the Blades, giving him 15 on the season. . . . Saskatoon G Brandon Kegler stopped 39 shots. . . . The Broncos (36-25-9) are sixth in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the Kootenay Ice. Swift Current also is three points behind Regina in the race for first in the East Division. . . . The Blades (16-49-5) have lost 10 in a row. . . .

In Kamloops, the Kelowna Rockets clinched first place in the overall standings, beating the Blazers, 4-1. . . . The Rockets now have won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy on three occasions. . . . F Ryan Olsen scored twice for the Rockets, getting his 30th of the season into an empty net. . . . Kamloops G Bolton Pouliot was terrific in making 40 saves. . . . Kelowna F Tyrell Goulborne gave his side a 3-1 lead with his 17th goal at 16:13 of the third period. . . . Kamloops F Eric Krienke had scored his third goal at 11:34, giving the Blazers at least faint hope. . . . Kelowna F Nick Merkely scored his 24th goal, one shy of the franchise record for most goals in a season by a 16-year-old. F Shane McColgan, now with the BCHL's Penticton Vees, scored 25 times in 2009-10. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle made 18 saves. He was sharp despite not being tested nearly as often as Pouliot. . . . Kelowna (55-11-4) will meet the Tri-City Americans (28-32-9) in a first-round series. . . . The Blazers (13-52-5) have lost eight in a row. . . .

In Vancouver, F Trent Lofthouse scored two goals to help the Giants to a 3-2 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . The loss ended Victoria’s six-game winning streak. . . . Vancouver G Payton Lee stopped 41 shots, including 21 in a scoreless first period. . . . Lofthouse, who played nine games with Victoria last season and 11 this season, broke a 1-1 tie with his 11th goal, on the PP, at 15:39 of the second period. . . . He upped the home team’s lead to 3-1 with another PP goal, this one at 15:23 of the third. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges scored his 20th goal at 1:13 of the second period. . . . Victoria F Austin Carroll got his 34th at 17:18 of the third, via the PP, to make things interesting. . . . Lofthouse, a 19-year-old from Surrey, B.C., joined the Giants with 15 goals in 112 regular-season games. In 34 games with Vancouver, he has scored 11 times. . . . Vancouver G Coleman Vollrath stopped 20 shots. . . . Vancouver was 2-for-3 on the PP; Victoria was 1-for-5. . . . Vancouver F Brendan Holterhus, who will turn 17 on March 24, made his WHL debut. A list player, he is from Edmonton where he spent the season with the midget AAA CAC Canadians. . . . The Giants (32-27-11) will finish seventh in the Western Conference and meet the Portland Winterhawks in the first round. . . . The Royals (48-18-4) will finish third and will meet either the Seattle Thunderbirds, Spokane Chiefs or Everett Silvertips in the opening round. . . .

In Spokane, the Everett Silvertips beat the Chiefs 4-2, giving them their first victory in Spokane in 19 tries. . . . Going into the game, F Josh Winquist was the only player on Everett's roster who knew what it was like for the Silvertips to win in Spokane. . . . Everett last won in Spokane on Feb. 24, 2010. Since then, it was 16-0-2. . . . Winquist scored twice, giving him 45 goals this season. He tied the game 2-2 at 12:27 of the second and then broke the tie at 19:55, on a PP. . . . Winquist drew an assist on F Carson Stadnyk’s second goal of the game, and 22nd of the season, at 16:04 of the third. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg got his WHL-leading 61st goal; it was the 186th of his career, tying F Pat Falloon for the franchise’s career record. . . . Holmberg also had an assist, running his WHL-leading point total to 116. He holds a seven-point edge over Portland Winterhawks F Nic Petan. . . . Everett (37-23-9) is 9-0-1 in its last 10. It is sixth in the Western Conference, one point behind the Chiefs (39-25-6) and three in arrears of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Chiefs, who had a three-game winning streak snapped, have two games left; Everett and Seattle have yet to play three games.


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