Nolan to Giants? . . . Amateur athletes or employees? . . . Lowry to Sharks?

F Bernhard Keil (Kamloops, 2010-11) signed a one-year contract with Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, DEL2). This season, with the Schwenninger Wild Wings (Germany, DEL), he had one goal in 39 games. . . .
F Justin Maylan (Moose Jaw, Prince George, Prince Albert, 2007-12) signed a one-year contract with Val Pusteria Brunico (Italy, Serie A). This season, with Gherdëina (Italy, Serie A), he had 14 goals and a team-high 37 assists in 33 games.
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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reported Tuesday that the Vancouver Giants have talked with Ted Nolan about their vacant head-coaching position. Nolan, of course, is a veteran coach with plenty of major junior experience, having coached in the OHL and QMJHL. This season, he was the head coach of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, who let him go at season’s end. . . . Nolan and his wife, Sandra, have been in Vancouver and toured the Giants’ facility in Ladner. However, Nolan will exercise all of his professional options before he would return to junior and he has been upfront about that. . . . Still, if you were on Twitter yesterday, you would have been led to believe that Nolan and the Giants were in contract negotiations. . . . That might happen, but if it does it won’t be for a while.
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I was reaching for a dictionary on Tuesday morning, as I tried to come to grips with Washington state’s new law that says WHL players on that state’s four WHL teams are amateur athletes and not employees. . . . My reaching was interrupted when I spotted a piece written by Ken Campbell of The Hockey News. . . . He explains it all right here.
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Ken Campbell of The Hockey News also spoke with Jerry Dias, the president of Unifor, which is Canada’s largest public sector trade union. Unifor continues to work towards organizing major junior hockey players in Canada. . . . Dias said the Washington bill is “ridiculous” and added that the effort to unionize major junior hockey players is continuing. . . . “I don’t know how the person who cleans the toilets in the arena is an employee,” Dias told Campbell, “the coaches are employees, the person who sells the popcorn, the person who cleans the ice . . . everybody is an employee except for the person who makes the profits.” . . . That story is right here.
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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet posted his weekly 30 Thoughts on Tuesday morning. As always, it is highly readable, and it is right here. As he points out, hockey fans shouldn’t discount Dave Lowry as the next head coach of the San Jose Sharks. At present, Lowry is the head coach of the WHL’s Victoria Royals.
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Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday, May 22: Kelowna vs. Quebec, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 23: Rimouski vs. Oshawa, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 24: Quebec vs. Oshawa, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 25: Rimouski vs. Kelowna, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 26: Oshawa vs. Kelowna, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 27: Quebec vs. Rimouski, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 28: Tiebreaker, if necessary, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 29: Semifina, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 31: Championship game, TBA
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FUN FACT: New @EdmontonOilers HC, Todd McLellan, is a former Blade! He played centre from 1983-1987. #alwaysablade pic.twitter.com/hc0osvvEZG

— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) May 19, 2015

THE COACHING GAME:

The NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs announced Tuesday that Gord Dineen, the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, won’t be back. He apparently has been offered the position of associate coach. . . . As well, the Marlies dumped associate coach Derek King and have offered assistant coach Ben Simon a spot elsewhere in the organization. . . . Dineen was an assistant coach with the Marlies for five seasons before taking over as head coach on July 15. After a 39-28-9 regular season, they lost a best-of-five first-round series to the Grand Rapids Griffins, 3-2. . . . There is speculation that Sheldon Keefe, the OHL’s coach of the year with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, will sign on as the Marlies’ head coach.
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The OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs have rounded out their coaching staff with the hiring of Troy Smith (associate coach), Ron Wilson (assistant coach) and Mike Parson (goaltending coach). They will work with GM/head coach George Burnett. . . . As well, Barclay Branch was named assistant GM and director of player personnel. . . . Branch spent the previous 10 seasons in the same role with the Belleville Bulls. . . . Smith was the Kitchener Rangers’ head coach for the past two seasons, after spending seven seasons as an assistant coach. . . . Wilson, a former NHL player, is a veteran of the coaching game, with extensive AHL experience. . . . Barton has worked as a goaltending coach with the Guelph Storm. This season, he was a goaltending consultant with the U of Guelph, Canisius College and the GOJHL’s Elmira Sugar Kings.
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The Sioux Falls Stampede recently won the Clark Cup as USHL playoff champions. Still, ownership has decided not to renew the contract of head coach Cary Eades, who is a former U of North Dakota assistant. . . . Chris Murphy of the Fargo Forum reported Tuesday that Eades will be named head coach of the USHL’s Fargo Force this morning. . . . According to Murphy, “Sioux Falls television station KSFY reported Eades’ contract was not renewed with the Stampede due to differences with ownership.” . . . Eades spent three seasons in Sioux Falls.
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The BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks need an athletic therapist, with Tyrol Deeg having resigned citing family concerns. If you’re interested, send your resume to coach@sasilverbacks.com. . . .
The NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Lindsay Hofford to work in their scouting department with his primary responsibility being the OHL. . . . He had been working as the scouting director for the OHL’s London Knights. Mark Hunter, a co-owner of the Knights, is Toronto’s director of player personnel. . . . Hofford did a stint as the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ head coach, running the bench for 112 games over three seasons (2003-06). . . .
Trevor Linden, the president of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, will be in Prince George for a news conference this morning. The Canucks are expected to announce that they will hold their 2015 training camp at the CN Centre in Prince George.
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Andersen, first Danish goalie to play for Ducks. Goldberg, first goalie to eat a danish while playing for Ducks. pic.twitter.com/gZXjSQIwHb

— Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) May 20, 2015

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract extension with Skellefteå (Sweden, Elitserien). He had 21 goals and 28 assists in 55 games, good enough to finish fifth in league scoring, and led the league in power-play goals with 12. Holloway followed up the regular season by leading the league playoffs in scoring, getting 10 goals and 13 assists in 19 playoff games. Skellefteå lost in the best-of-seven Elitserien final to Brynäs Gävle, 4-2. Skellefteå GM Lars Johansson: "It is of course very positive. Bud is a great guy, both on and off the ice, who fits very well into our organization, so it feels great that we have agreed on an extension. He had a great season and it's fantastic that he now chooses to continue his development here in Skellefteå." . . .
F Frantisek Mrazek (Red Deer, 1997-99) signed a one-year contract extension with Landshut Cannibals (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had 25 goals and 23 assists in 46 games for the Cannibals this season. . . .
D Burke Henry (Brandon, 1995-99) signed a one-year contract with Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He was pointless in four games with the South East Prairie Thunder at this season's Allan Cup final. In 2010-11, Henry had four goals and three assists for Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga). . . .
D Tomas Mojzis (Moose Jaw, Seattle, 2000-03) signed a one-year contract with Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL). He had six goals and 26 assists in 59 games with TPS Turku (Finland, SM-Liiga) this season. . . .
F Dominik Volek (Regina, 2011-12) signed a junior contract with Färjestad Karlstad (Sweden, J20 SuperElit). He had 14 goals and 18 assists with the Pats this season. Volek, who turned 18 on Jan. 12, is from Praha, Czech Republic, and had been expected to return to the Pats for a second season. Regina selected him with the ninth overall pick in the CHL’s 2011 import draft.
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THE COACHING GAME:
A couple of coaching-related notes from Aaron Portzline, who covers the Columbus Blue Jackets for the Columbus Post-Dispatch. . . . First, he tweeted this: “Confirmed #CBJ asst Brad Berry is a candidate to return to Univ of North Dakota as an assistant. Safe to say he's a favorite for the job.” . . . Berry may have ended up as the Kamloops Blazers' head coach over the summer of 2008 had he not taken his name out of the running. . . . North Dakota has a vacancy because it chose not to bring back associate head coach Cary Eades, who now is the GM/head coach of the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede. Eades was out of work for all of a week. . . . Portzline also tweeted this: “Also, #CBJ looking for coach to replace Rob Riley @ AHL level in Springfield. All signs point to former NHLer Brad Larsen getting the job.” . . . Larsen is a former WHLer, having played with the Swift Current Broncos (1993-97). . . .
It hasn’t yet been announced but I’m told that Kelowna Rockets assistant coach Dan Lambert has signed a new two-year deal as an assistant coach. Lambert, who was one of the best offensive defencemen in WHL history during his four seasons (1986-90) with the Swift Current Broncos, works alongside head coach Ryan Huska and assistant Ryan Cuthbert. Lambert handles the back end and is having the time of his life working with young up-and-comers like Madison Bowey, Jesse Lees and Damon Severson. . . .
The Central league’s Bloomington Blaze has hired Brian Gratz as its head coach. He spent the last two seasons as head coach of the Central league’s Dayton Gems. He is a 30-year-old native of Fort Wayne, Ind. With the Blaze, he replaces Paul Gardner whose contract wasn’t renewed after a 23-30-7 record in the franchise’s first season in the league. . . .
The Central league’s Wichita Thunder has extended the contract of head coach Kevin McClelland through 2014-15. McClelland, a former head coach of the Prince Albert Raiders, has been with the Thunder for two seasons. He was named the league’s coach of the year after guiding the team to a franchise-record 44 victories. He also got the Thunder into the league final. . . .
The BCHL’s Coquitlam Express has added the general manager’s duties to head coach Jon Calvano’s portfolio. He takes over from Darcy Rota, the club’s president and governor, who stepped aside after 11 seasons as GM.
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JUST NOTES:
D Bronson Maschmeyer has decided to head for St. Francis Xavier in Antigonish, N.S., and play for the X-Men next season. "That's where I committed," Maschmeyer confirmed via text late last night. Maschmeyer played out his eligibility with the Kamloops Blazers this season. The Blazers acquired him from the Vancouver Giants prior to the 2009-10 season and he never missed a game while with Kamloops, playing in 231 consecutive regular-season and playoff games. . . . Maschmeyer’s sister, Emerance, is off to Harvard after playing this season with the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats. She’s a goaltender. . . . And their brother Brock, a defenceman, will head for Northern Michigan and the Wildcats for 2013-14. Brock plays for the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. . . .
The MJHL’s newest franchise is the Virden Oil Capitals. The team that played out of Winnipeg as the Saints before being sold and moved to the south-western Manitoba community made the announcement Wednesday. . . .
With the threat of a lockout looming, the NHL has started making moves in preparation. That includes the cancellation of the annual Young Guns tournament that has been played in Penticton, B.C. Last year’s tournament featured the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets.
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David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail has chatted with Scotty Bowman about the way the NHL game is being played in these playoffs. The result is a terrific piece, with Bowman going back to the 1979 playoffs to find a series in which one team collapsed in its zone in order to protect its house.
That piece is right here.
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Earlier in the week, also in the pages of The Globe and Mail, the Calgary-based Allan Maki wrote of a family that is waiting to find out whether their husband and father’s brain contained signs of CTE. Yes, he was a former football player. Doug MacIver Sr. was a solid defensive lineman.
Maki’s story is right here.


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Three former WHLers have committed to attend the U of Manitoba in Winnipeg and play for the Bisons. . . . F Paul Ciarelli, a native of Winnipeg, played the last four seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . F Aaron Lewadniuk, who is from Carman, Man., played two seasons (2008-10) with the Wheat Kings, before playing the last two seasons in the ECHL. . . . D Brock Sutherland, who is from Brandon, spent this season with the Calgary Hitmen. He also played with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Tri-City Americans.
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Adam Proteau of The Hockey News looks at the menace that is shot-blocking and where the Stanley Cups playoff are headed. It’s right here and it isn’t pretty.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jim McKenzie (Moose Jaw, Victoria, 1985-89) has agreed to a two-year contract extension as head coach of the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks. The deal carries through 2013-14. . . . McKenzie, 42, took over as head coach from the fired Kevin Patrick on Jan. 13 and went 8-19-6 as the Lumberjacks completed their second season in the USHL. . . .
Cary Eades is the new GM and head coach of the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede. Eades took the job a week after the U of North Dakota chose not to renew his contract as associate head coach. With the Stampede, he replaces Kevin Hartzell, who was dropped by a new ownership group after seven seasons with the organization.
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THE WHL FINAL:
The Edmonton Oil Kings and the Winterhawks meet tonight in Portland in Game 6. The Oil Kings lead the series 3-2 and can end it with a victory. A Portland victory sends the series back to Edmonton for Game 7 on Sunday. Yes, on Sunday!
The Oil Kings, Portland F Sven Baertschi told Kris Anderson of the Portland Tribune, “know that we're a little better than them. And we know that, too. We got enough skill and enough talent, and we have players who work hard enough to make sure we win those games.”
Anderson’s complete story is right here.
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Here is the schedule for the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup (all times local):
Thursday, May 3: Portland 2 at Edmonton 3 (7,466)
Friday, May 4: Portland 5 at Edmonton 1 (10,720)
Sunday, May 6: Edmonton 3 at Portland 4 (10,947)
Tuesday, May 8: Edmonton 4 at Portland 3 (OT) (10,947)
Thursday, May 10: Portland 3 at Edmonton 4 (11,077)
Saturday, May 12: at Portland (Rose Garden), 6 p.m.
x-Sunday, May 13: at Edmonton, 6 p.m.

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