Showing posts with label Collin Gallant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Collin Gallant. Show all posts

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Rasmussen's season over? . . . Of course, Mom gets her hug . . . Broadcasters thank their mentor


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F Michael Rasmussen of the Tri-City Americans may not play again this season, due to what the team is saying is a fractured wrist. Rasmussen is believed to have a broken scaphoid in one wrist.
That is a bone in the wrist that, when broken, can be slow to heal, primarily because it doesn’t receive
MICHAEL RASMUSSEN
optimal blood flow due to its location.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Rasmussen is expected to be a first-round selection in the NHL’s 2017 draft. From Surrey, B.C., he has 55 points, including 32 goals, in 50 games this season. He last played on Feb. 1.
The Americans are 7-3-0 without him. They started by losing three in a row and now are riding a seven-game winning streak. They will visit the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight and then head for Kelowna and a Saturday night date with the Rockets.
Rasmussen, who doesn’t require surgery, is under the care of Dr. Rodney French, a hand/wrist specialist, in Vancouver, B.C. Dr. French is expected to re-examine Rasmussen in about six weeks.
Tri-City also has been without F Vladislav Lukin (undisclosed injury). He hasn’t played since Feb. 18. Bob Tory, the Americans’ general manager, told Taking Note on Thursday that Lukin won’t play this weekend, but that they hope to have him back for a March 10 date with the visiting Prince George Cougars.
Lukin has 55 points, including 24 goals, in 61 games, so getting him back will help take some pressure of the other forwards in Rasmussen’s absence.
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With mumps in its neighbourhood, the WHL issued an edict on Feb. 24 that “instructed all WHL clubs to advise players to refrain from any direct contact with fans at this time.”
You have to think that the WHL wasn’t intending to keep mothers away from sons, though.
But the law of unintended consequences struck in Kamloops on Wednesday night following the Blazers’ 5-4 OT victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Seattle F Ryan Gropp, a 20-year-old who is from Kamloops, likely had played the last game of his hockey career in his hometown. Afterwards, well, here’s Marty Hastings of Kamloops This Week . . . 
“Members of Gropp’s family were waiting near the dressing room to see him after the game, but were told to leave by security, which was acting on instructions to keep the general public away from players due to the WHL’s well-documented mumps outbreak.
“A mother just wanted to see her son. That eventually happened in the face of the ever-growing swarm of security guards.
“Words were exchanged, but both parties went their separate ways without much incident.”
Someone who witnessed it told Taking Note: “The Walkie Talkies came out. . . . At first, there was one (security person). Within minutes, there were seven of them.”
Mom didn't leave until getting a hug from her son, which is all she wanted in the first place.
The photo in the above tweet was taken the previous weekend when all the parents were in Kent for parents' weekend.
Hastings’ complete game story is right here.
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The NHL’s Washington Capitals have signed D Lucas Johansen of the Kelowna Rockets to a three-year, entry-level contract. Johansen was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the NHL’s 2016 draft.
This season, Johansen, 19, has 36 points, including 30 assists, in 60 games. Last season, he put up 49 points, 10 of the goals, in 69 games.
Johansen, from Port Moody, B.C., is the younger brother of F Ryan Johansen of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
The Capitals also announced Thursday that they have signed D Colby Williams, a former captain of the Regina Pats, to a two-year, entry-level deal. Williams, 22, has 13 points, three of them goals, in 49 games with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, with whom he signed a one-year deal prior to the season.
Williams, who is from Regina, had 104 points, including 25 goals, in 211 career games over six seasons with the Pats. He served as the team’s captain in 2015-16.
The Capitals selected Williams in the sixth round of the NHL’s 2015 draft.
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Three cheers for D Connor Hobbs of the Regina Pats.
The Pats have been atop the WHL’s overall standings for much of this season. However, they have
encountered some adversity of late and their lead has shrunk to five points over the second-place Medicine Hat Tigers, although the Pats do hold two games in hand.
The Tigers are scheduled to play in Regina tonight (Friday) and Hobbs, rather than saying it’s “just another game,” told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post that “it’s a huge game.”
“We’ve struggled a little bit as of late,” Hobbs continued, “and Medicine Hat is a good team. They’re closest to us (in the standings). We just have to treat it like it’s the huge game that it is.”
The Pats will play three times in fewer than 48 hours this weekend — they are at home to the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday night and then in Brandon for a Sunday (4 p.m.) start against the Wheat Kings.
Regina may get D Jonathan Smart and F Filip Ahl back at some point this weekend. Ahl, who has 24 goals and 17 assists in 45 games, and Smart both have been out since Feb. 20.
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Prior to Wednesday’s game in Kamloops between the Blazers and Seattle Thunderbirds, I received an email from a fan asking if he could come up to the press box and say hello.
“There are four of us coming up for the game,” Jon Whiting, a Thunderbirds’ fan, wrote in the email.
“Hmm, that’s interesting,” I thought. “Sheesh, that’s a long drive just to watch one junior hockey game.”
Whiting showed up beside me in the second intermission and we had quite an enjoyable chat. It turns out that he has a friend who is a pilot and so they hopped in a small plane about 3 p.m., and were having dinner in Kamloops by 5:30.
They flew back to Seattle after the game.
“Walked in my house about 1 a.m.,” messaged Ryland Spencer, one of the flying foursome. “Was a fun trip!”
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Bob Miller, the longtime play-by-play voice of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced his retirement on Thursday, although he will work the team’s last two regular-season games, on April 8 and 9.
CRAIG WEST: Baseball fan.
That announcement may not have meant much to Canadian hockey fans, but it meant a lot to a pair of men who call WHL games. Craig West, the radio voice of the Tri-City Americans, and Mike Benton, who calls Everett Silvertips’ games, both watched the announcement via live stream. You can bet there was a tear or two, because Miller has been a mentor to both men.
Later, West posted this on Facebook:
“Bob truly helped me so much showing me how to treat the game, the players, management and coaches with respect on both sides.
In March 1991 during my first season in the WHL, I made a trip from Spokane to see the Kings play Winnipeg at the Forum. I took a tape and resume to Bob before he went on air. He was gracious and said, ‘Craig, when the season is over I will listen, break this out and be in touch with you.’
In May 1991, the Chiefs clinched the WHL title with a win over Lethbridge in four straight. The night before departure for Quebec City for the Memorial Cup, my home phone rings: ‘Hello Craig, this is Bob Miller.’
After about two minutes he says, ‘You think I'm one of your friends putting you on! Maybe this will convince you . . . please say hi to Debbie and Bryan Maxwell from my wife and I. We went to dinner many times when he was with the Kings.’
I then realized it was him! On his own time, which amounted to a 90-minute phone call, he basically took all the rough edges off my call. ‘Craig, when you say the play comes across the blue line . . . which blue
Mike Benton, voice of the Silvertips.
line? The Chiefs or Seattle?’ ”
Meanwhile, Benton turned to his blog, writing:
“Bob’s name still stands on my resume as a reference, and he went above and beyond to phone the Stockton Thunder for a recommendation when I pursued (and landed) my first broadcasting job in hockey. As many fellow friends in the business can attest to, he was always willing to pick up the phone when you called his house. Whatever he was in the middle of, he was always willing to give you 5-15 minutes of an intimate and warming conversation, whether to catch up or provide solid, raw, and unfiltered career advice.
“He taught me more than just the basic mechanics of handling the flow of play-by-play and preparation: he taught me about the value of being approachable. In the long run, you never know who you may meet, and use that valuable experience to ‘pay it forward.’ ”
Benton’s blog is right here, and he wrote a whole lot more about what Miller means to him.
bentonhockey.wordpress.com/2017/03/02/thank-you-bob-we-smile-because-it-happened/
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If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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JUST NOTES:

F Ty Lewis of the Brandon Wheat Kings was back at practice on Thursday. Lewis is second on the Wheat Kings in goals (28) and points (61) and leads in assists (33). He missed Wednesday’s 3-2 OT loss to the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes in which Brandon dressed 17 skaters, one under the maximum. . . . The Wheat Kings are at home to the Calgary Hitmen on Friday night. . . .
Bill Yuill, the head of Monarch Corporation and the owner of the Everett Silvertips, is chairing a committee in Medicine Hat that wants to manage The Arena, the former home of the Medicine Hat Tigers that has been scheduled for closure. . . . Collin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News has more right here. . . . 
There was a time when the day of the NHL trade deadline was like a car wreck from which you couldn’t look away. That was then. This is now. On Wednesday, when I flipped on TSN, the talking heads were debating whether they would trade Auston Matthews for Connor McDavid. Click! That was the end of that. . . . Ken Campbell of The Hockey News, meanwhile, writes right here about The Yard Sale for Misfit Toys.
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If you aren’t already, you should be following the Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey). They have been reliving the franchise’s history and it has been a lot of fun that includes a lot of familiar names, like Al Conroy.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Calgary at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Kelowna at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
Lethbridge at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Regina 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.
Spokane 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.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:23 PM
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Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Will Brent say 'uncle' in Everett? . . . Blazers stop streaking Rockets . . . Sawchenko sparks Warriors


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F Brett Bulmer (Kelowna, 2008-12) has signed a one-year contract with Ilves Tampere (Finland, Liiga). Last season, he was pointless in three games with the Minnesota Wild (NHL), and had three goals and eight assists in 58 games with the Iowa Wild (AHL). . . . As a result of Ilves’ decision to sign Bulmer, it has released F Mitch Wahl (Spokane, 2005-10). Wahl had a goal and three assists in 16 games with Ilves. . . .
F Jakub Langhammer (Spokane, 2002-04) has been released by the Manchester Phoenix (England, Premier). He had four goals and three assists in 14 games.
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RILEY SUTTER
Brent Sutter, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Red Deer Rebels is an intense competitor. Hey, when’s the last time you saw him smile during a game? But if you’re in Everett tonight you just might see at least a bit of smile. That’s because his Rebels are up against the Silvertips, whose roster includes F Riley Sutter, who is a nephew. Ron Sutter, one of the twins, is Riley’s father. . . . “I think it’s definitely going to be exciting for sure since I didn’t get the chance to play last (season) against him,” Riley told Jesse Geleynse of the Everett Herald.“It’s going to be something to think about. You always want to beat your family.” . . . So what's his uncle like? "I don't think he's too much different than (his brothers)," Riley told Geleynse. "They're all pretty similar. All the coaches (who) are Sutters are pretty hard at the rink, but away (from it) they're nice guys." . . . Geleynse’s story is right here.
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Hockey Canada’s national junior team selection camp will run from Dec. 11-14 at Blainville, Que., the home of the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. . . . The camp will include three exhibition games — Dec. 12 and 13 against a team comprising Canadian university players and Dec. 14 against Czech Republic. . . . Team Canada will be preparing for the 2017 World Junior Championship that is to run Dec. 26 through Jan. 5 in Toronto and Montreal. . . . The 22-player Canadian roster is expected to be named on Dec. 15, although it doesn’t have to be finalized until Dec. 25. . . . In advance of the tournament, Canada will play exhibition games against Finland (Montreal, Dec. 19), Czech Republic (Ottawa, Dec. 21) and Switzerland (Toronto, Dec. 23). . . . Canada opens the WJC in Toronto on Dec. 26 against Russia (8 p.m. ET) and plays Team USA on Dec. 31 in Toronto (3:30 p.m. ET).
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Bob Mackin of Business in Vancouver has weighed in with a piece on the proposed class-action lawsuit that the CHL, WHL, OHL and their teams are fighting. . . . Mackin’s piece is right here. . . . Collin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News examines the proposed lawsuit from the Medicine Hat Tigers’ perspective in a story that is right here.
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The Kamloops Blazers dropped G Carter Phair, who turns 18 on Dec. 15, from their roster on Tuesday. He is expected to return to the SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings. The Blazers acquired Phair from the Edmonton Oil Kings, giving up a fourth-round pick in the 2018 bantam draft, hoping he would provide them with some depth at the position. However, he was struck in the head with a puck during a practice in Alberta and suffered a concussion. He got into only one game with the Blazers, going 4.68, .842. . . . Phair, a native of Carnduff, Sask., played 19 games with the Red Wings last season, going 8-4-3, 2.47, .925. . . . The Blazers are down to 24 players, including two goaltenders — Connor Ingram and Dylan Ferguson — and nine defencemen.
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Patrick Conway, who keeps tabs on goings-on in the KHL, has checked in with his weekly team-by-team roundup. You have to read it to believe what has been happening with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, which is on its third head coach of this season — in fact, it went through three head coaches in the month of October alone. . . . Conway’s latest report is right here.
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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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TUESDAY’S GAMES:


At Kelowna, F Deven Sideroff scored twice and added an assist to help the Kamloops Blazers to a 5-1
COLLIN SHIRLEY
victory over the Rockets. . . . The Blazers now are 9-8-0. . . . The Rockets, also 9-8-0, had a six-game winning streak come to an end. . . . The Blazers got the game’s first two goals, from F Nick Chyzowski, his seventh, at 2:53 of the first period, and Sideroff, on a PP, at 13:07. . . . Kelowna F Nick Merkley scored his third goal at 18:37, on a PP. . . . F Rudolfs Balcers, a Latvian freshman, got his seventh goal for Kamloops at 1:45 of the second period. Blazers also had an assist. . . . Sideroff’s ninth goal, on a PP at 11:17 of the third period, added more insurance and F Matt Revel scored his sixth goal at 16:05. . . . F Collin Shirley drew three assists for Kamloops. A 37-goal scorer last season, he’s got six goals and 12 assists in 17 games this time around. . . . Kamloops also got two assists from F Garrett Pilon. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram stopped 20 shots, 14 fewer than Michael Herringer of Kelowna. . . . The Blazers were 2-7 on the PP; the Rockets were 1-7. . . . The Rockets lost F Leif Mattson with a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct at 16:39 of the third period. . . . Announced attendance: 4,369.
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ZACH SAWCHENKO
At Moose Jaw, G Zach Sawchenko stopped 41 shots as the Warriors got past the Prince Albert Raiders, 3-1. . . . Sawchenko was especially solid in the third period when the Raiders failed to score despite holding a 22-8 edge in shots. . . . F Jayden Halbgewachs scored twice for the Warriors, giving them a 1-0 lead at 2:21 of the second period and putting them in front 2-1 at 4:22 of the third. He’s got 11 goals in 15 games, after putting in a career-high 15 in 69 games last season. . . . F Luke Coleman scored the Raiders’ goal, his fourth, at 6:06 of the second period. . . . F Tanner Jeannot got the empty-netter for Moose Jaw at 19:58 of the third. He’s got four goals. . . . G Nick Sanders stopped 26 shots for the Raiders. . . . Prince Albrert was 0-4 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 0-5. . . . The Warriors (9-3-2) have won two in a row. . . . The Raiders (4-10-1) have lost three straight. . . . Announced attendance: 3,099.
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At Saskatoon, the Seattle Thunderbirds scored three times in the second period and went on to a 4-3
SCOTT EANSOR
victory over the Blades. . . . The Thunderbirds (5-6-1) are 2-1-0 on their six-game East Division trip. . . . The Blades slipped to 7-8-1. . . . The Thunderbirds scored the game’s first three goals, all of them via the PP. At that point, Seattle had scored six times on nine PP opportunities over two games. . . . D Jarret Tyszka’s first goal got the visitors started, at 2:51 of the first period. F Alexander True made it 2-0 with his fifth goal 56 seconds into the second period. F Donovan Neuls’ third goal upped the lead to 3-0 at 1:51. . . . F Michael Farren’s first goal got the Blades on the board at 6:04, but Seattle F Scott Eansor scored shorthanded at 9:32. He’s got two goals. . . . Saskatoon made it interesting as F Josh Paterson got his fifth goal at 1:39 of the third period and F Mason McCarty made it 4-3 with his 10th goal at 18:44. . . . Seattle got two assists from F Nolan Volcan, with Eansor adding one to his goal. . . . Paterson also had an assist. . . . Seattle G Rylan Toth, who is from Saskatoon, stopped 21 shots. . . . The Blades started Logan Flodell, who had been acquired from Seattle earlier this season. He was gone after allowing three goals on 19 shots in 22:05. Reliever Brock Hamm stopped 13 of 14 shots in 36:51. . . . Seattle was 3-6 on the PP; Saskatoon was 0-4. . . . F Mathew Barzal, who is eligible to play for the Thunderbirds, again was scratched by the New York Islanders last night. They lost 6-1 to the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning. . . . Announced attendance: 2,812.
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At Victoria, F Ryan Peckford broke a 4-4 tie at 17:39 of the third period and the Royals went on to beat
CHAZ REDDEKOPP
the Red Deer Rebels, 6-4. . . . The Rebels (8-6-2), who have lost three straight, overcame a late two-goal deficit before losing. . . . The Royals (9-7-2) had lost their previous three games (0-1-2). . . . After F Jared Dmytriw’s sixth goal got the Royals started at 8:07 of the first period, the visitors took the lead when F Grayson Pawlenchuk scored his fourth goal at 14:35 and F Dawson Martin got his third, at 15:25. . . . Victoria followed that with the game’s next three goals, as F Matt Phillips got his ninth at 7:00 of the second, F Tyler Soy scored his 10th at 17:24, and F Dante Hannoun counted No. 8 at 10:06 of the third. . . . Red Deer D Josh Mahura, who also had an assist, got his guys into a tie with goals at 13:39 and 15:57. . . . F Ethan Price iced it for the Royals, scoring his second goal of the season into an empty net. . . . Victoria D Chaz Reddekopp earned three assists, while Peckford, who has five goals this season, and Soy each had one. . . . The Rebels got two assists from D Austin Strand. . . . G Griffen Outhouse blocked 40 shots for the Royals. The Rebels got 30 saves from Riley Lamb in 58:18. Lasse Petersen wasn’t tested in a 46-second stint. . . . Red Deer was 1-6 on the PP; Victoria was 0-4. . . . Announced attendance: 3,032.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Lethbridge at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Regina, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Swift Current, 7 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.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:58 PM
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Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Paper questions Tigers' attendance figures . . . Rebels, Chiefs swap goalies . . . Cougars dynamite on road

The Canalta Centre, the second-year home of the Medicine Hat Tigers, lost $440,000 — that’s $80,000 more than expected — in its first year of operation, reports Collin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News. . . . There are a couple of interesting notes in his story. . . . For starters, Jeff Dunham, a comedian and ventriloquist, drew the centre’s only sellout during its first year when a crowd of 6,124 showed up on March 18. . . . Gallant also reported that while figures compiled by the WHL indicate that the Tigers’ average attendance for 36 regular-season home games was 4,247, “a study by the News suggests that number was closer to 3,100 — about half the capacity of the one-year-old $75-million arena and one-quarter less than the number of seats in the Medicine Hat Arena.” . . . According to a report presented to a city committee, the total attendance including major events during the facility’s first 12 months of operation was 165,400. According to the report, 16 non-hockey events drew about 51,300 folks. Do the math and it shows that 114,100 fans attended Tigers’ games, an average of 3,083 per game. The WHL’s figures have the Tigers’ regular-season attendance total at 152,912. . . . Gallant’s complete story is right here.
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The WHL is working towards digitizing statistics from the first 30 years of its existence. At the moment, you can only find on-line information from games played after 1996.
“There has been so much change in technology and just managing the new
website and the social media platforms,” Ron Robison, the WHL commissioner, told Perry Bergson of the Brandon Sun. “There are
reasons why we haven’t got to it, but we will get to it. We have to get
it completed and get it completed soon.”
Bergson dug up some numbers showing that when the QMJHL did it in 2005 “it took 24 people more than 12,000 hours over three years to
snap pictures of 10,000 scoresheets and then input the data.”
According to Bergson, one of the challenges faces by the WHL “is locating all of the scoresheets, which are scattered across Western Canada and the northwestern U.S. after 50 years.”
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The Red Deer Rebels and Spokane Chiefs were involved in an exchange of goaltenders on Wednesday. The Rebels acquired Tyson Verhelst, 19, and a third-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft for G Dawson Weatherill, 17, and a fifth-round pick in the 2018 draft. . . . Verhelst played two seasons with Spokane but the Chiefs revealed prior to training camp that he had chosen to quit hockey. As a result, the Chiefs acquired G Jayden Sittler, 20, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . It came out last week that Verhelst, who is from Kemnay, Man., was on the Chiefs’ suspended list and that they were trying to trade him. . . . In 81 games with the Chiefs, he was 34-33-5, 3.31, .889. Last season, he was 23-22-5, 3.16, .892. . . . Verhelst was a third-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft. . . . Earlier, the Rebels dealt G Rylan Toth, 20, to the Seattle Thunderbirds, indicating at that point that were prepared to go with Trevor Martin, 20, and Riley Lamb, 18, as their goaltenders. . . . The Rebels play this weekend in Moose Jaw, Brandon and Regina. Verhelst will skate in Red Deer over the weekend and then practise with his new teammates next week before seeing game action. . . . Weatherill, from Red Deer, was a second-round selection in 2014. He was 1-1-0, 3.69, .881 in five appearances with the Rebels last season, but hadn’t seen any action this season. . . . In Spokane, he will join Sittler, who also is from Red Deer, and Matt Berlin, an 18-year-old from Edmonton.
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Among the WHL players returned by NHL teams on Wednesday:
Everett Silvertips — F Eetu Tuulola, Calgary Flames.
Kamloops Blazers — G Connor Ingram, Tampa Bay Lightning; F Deven Sideroff, Anaheim Ducks.
Kelowna Rockets — F Dillon Dube, Calgary Flames; F Calvin Thurkauf, Columbus Blue Jackets.
Moose Jaw Warriors — F Brett Howden, Tampa Bay Lightning.
Prince Albert Raiders — G Rylan Parenteau, Vancouver Canucks.
Prince George Cougars — D Sam Ruopp, Columbus Blue Jackets.
Red Deer Rebels — D Josh Mahura, Anaheim Ducks; F Adam Musil, St. Louis Blues.
Saskatoon Blades — D Libor Hajek, Tampa Bay Lightning.
Swift Current Broncos — Max Lajoie, Ottawa Senators; F Lane Pederson, Arizona Coyotes.
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With G Rylan Parenteau, who is to turn 20 on Nov. 16, on his way back from the camp of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, the Prince Albert Raiders’ roster now includes four 20-year-old players. Parenteau joins F Austin Glover, F Tim Vanstone and F Kolten Olynek. That number will swell to five if F Reid Gardiner is returned by the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. . . . Parenteau is one of three goaltenders on the roster, joining sophomore Ian Scott, 17, and newcomer Curtis Meger, 18.
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The Prince George Cougars learned Wednesday that D Sam Ruopp, 20, is on his way back from the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. His arrival will leave Prince George with four 20-year-olds, the others being F Colby McAuley, D Shaun Dosanjh and G Ty Edmonds. . . . Edmonds also is one of three goaltenders on the roster, along with Nick McBride, 19, and Tavin Grant, 18.
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The Calgary Hitmen, meanwhile, placed D Scott Allan on waivers earlier in the week. The 6-foot-6, 235-pounder from Denver cleared and now will rejoin the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors. Allan has played in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Seattle Thunderbirds and Medicine Hat Tigers. In 93 games, he has a goal and three assists. . . . The Hitmen are left with three 20s — F Tyler Mrkonjic, F Taylor Sanheim and D Micheal Zipp.
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The NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning have returned G Connor Ingram, 19, to the Kamloops Blazers. He will join his teammates in Victoria where the Blazers will play the Royals in a Friday-Saturday doubleheader. . . . Ingram was 34-15-9, 2.61, .922 with the Blazers last season and now is in the running to be on the roster of Canada’s national junior team. . . . The Blazers have been going with Dylan Ferguson, who backed up Ingram last season, and Carter Phair, who was acquiredfrom the Edmonton Oil Kings on Sept. 6. Ferguson has been nursing a tender ankle left over from the first period of a 5-1 loss to the host Kelowna Rockets on Saturday.
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JUST NOTES:

F Keegan Kolesar of the Seattle Thunderbirds will be out for at least six weeks. Aaron Portzline, who covers the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets for the Columbus Dispatch, tweeted Wednesday that Kolesar has had “surgery for a supraumbilical hernia. . . . That is a hernia in the area of the navel. . . . Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen told Aportzline that the hernia didn’t have anything to do with hockey, that it developed on its own. . . . Last season, Kolesar, a 19-year-old Winnipegger, had 30 goals and 31 assists in 64 games with Seattle last season. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, he also brings size to the Thunderbirds’ forward ranks. . . .
G Brandon Kegler, 19, is back with the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The native of Leduc, Alta., was released earlier by the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Kegler was 3.09, .910 in 22 games with Salmon Arm last season. . . . To make room for Kegler, the Silverbacks dealt G Mike Botiz to the Surrey Eagles for future considerations. . . . 
F Andrew Shaw of the Montreal Canadiens will be on the phone with the NHL’s department of safety today (Thursday) after he drilled D Connor Hobbs of the Washington Capitals into the end boards from behind in a Tuesday exhibition game. Hobbs, who is likely to be returned to the Regina Pats at some point this week, was left face down on the ice. However, he apparently wasn’t injured and returned to the game. . . . 
The Portland Winterhawks are without a director of player personnel with the news that Eric Doyle has left for a scouting position with the NHL’s New York Rangers. Doyle had been Portland’s director of player personnel since 2014. He is a former WHL defenceman, having played five seasons with the Everett Silvertips, Swift Current Broncos and Portland. He moved to Portland as a 20-year-old in 2009-10. . . . 
An interesting note from Jesse Geleynse of the Everett Herald, from the Silvertips’ Tuesday practice: “Everett practised a new drill for the first time. It involved kicking pucks toward the net (from outside the crease). A new WHL rule states that any goal that deflects off a skate from outside the (crease) is a goal — regardless of whether or not there was a ‘kicking motion.’ No surprise that Kevin Constantine’s squad is looking to use any rule change to its advantage.” . . . 
F Owen Hardy of the Vancouver Giants suffered an undisclosed injury during Tuesday’s 7-6 loss to the visiting Prince George Cougars and apparently won’t play in weekend games. Hardy, 17, was a second-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft. He had five goals and four assists in 45 games last season. This season, he is pointless in three games.
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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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WEDNESDAY'S GAME:




At Kelowna, G Ty Edmonds stopped 32 shots to lead the Prince George Cougars to a 2-1 victory over the Rockets. . . . The Cougars have opened the season with four straight victories, all on the road. . . . The two head coaches — Richard Matvichuk of the Cougars and Jason Smith of the Rockets — are in their first WHL seasons after combining to play in 1,804 regular-season and 191 playoff games in the NHL. . . . F Jared Bethune gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead with his fourth goal of the season just 56 seconds into the game. . . . Kelowna F Tomas Soustal tied it at 13:53 of the second period, while shorthanded. . . . F Yan Khomenko’s first goal broke the tie at 18:14 of the second period. Bethune picked up the lone assist. . . . G Michael Herringer turned aside 24 shots for the Rockets (1-2-0). . . . The Cougars were 0-5 on the PP; the Rockets were 0-3. . . . The teams now head north for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader in Prince George. . . . Announced attendance: 4,341.
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THURSDAY'S GAMES (all times local):

No Games Scheduled.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:59 PM
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Monday, August 3, 2015

Wonder Woman to walk again . . . Rockets have a head coach . . . Medicine Hat gets keys to facility

NewsKamloops.com, the new home of Taking Note, is scheduled to go online today at 4 a.m.
In the future, in order to find Taking Note, you simply have to go to NewsKamloops.com and find it in the bar near the top of the home page.
Who knows? While you’re there, you may find something else that might pique your interest.
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D Bretton Stamler (Seattle, Edmonton, Swift Current, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with the Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). Last season, he was had three assists in five games with the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL), was pointless in seven games with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL), and had a goal and 11 assists in 24 games with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL).
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Dorothy, aka Wonder Woman, was rather excited in the
before our son, Todd, was married on July 4.
It’s that time of the year again. Yes, it’s almost time for the 2015 Kidney Walk and, yes, my good wife, Dorothy, is involved for a second straight year.
If you’re new here, Dorothy (aka Wonder Woman) underwent a kidney transplant on Sept. 23, 2013. After encountering a few speed bumps, things have been pretty good for the past few months. In fact, Dorothy made her three-month visit to the transplant clinic on Friday and got her second straight excellent report.
As she says repeatedly, “I am one of the fortunate ones.”
Which is why she wants to give back to the Kidney Foundation and has chosen the Kidney Walk to do just that.
This year’s Kamloops Kidney Walk is scheduled for Sept. 27 and we will be there.
If you would like to be part of Dorothy’s team, just click right here and make a donation. The bus started filling up on Monday.
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It is one of hockey’s dirty little secrets . . . really, really dirty. I am referring to a pinch between the cheek and gum. While it may not be as prevalent in hockey as it is in baseball, chewing and/or dipping is popular among hockey players, junior and professional, as well. . . . The WHL has moved to ban it, but it’s still there. . . . Meanwhile, the City of San Francisco is in the process of banning the habit in all city parks, including AT&T Park, the home of the Giants. . . . Perhaps, cities in which there are WHL franchises could ban dipping and chewing from public arenas. . . . There is more right here on the situation in San Francisco.
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Considering what the City of San Francisco is attempting to do, it’s worth taking a look back at something former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling wrote for The Players Tribune about dipping and chewing. That story, in the form of a letter to his 16-year-old self, is right here.
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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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Coaching

The Kelowna Rockets are expected to introduce their new head coach today at noon Pacific time. They have been looking for a head coach since Dan Lambert resigned on July 6. Lambert spent one season as the Rockets’ head coach, winning a WHL championship, after working for five seasons as an assistant coach in Kelowna. Lambert now is an assistant coach with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
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The City of Medicine Hat has been given the keys to its new arena, the Canalta Centre. Collin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News reports that the facility was turned over to the city on Friday at midnight. . . . Gallant’s story is right here.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 11:30 PM
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Friday, June 5, 2015

Raiders' hunt for GM ends . . . Leafs may have job for McCrimmon . . . Ex-Raider to coach Lakers








D Layne Viveiros (Portland, 2011-2015) signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, he had eight goals and 35 assists in 71 games with the Winterhawks. Viveiros is a dual Canadian-Austrian citizen. . . . He is eligible for his 20-year-old season in the WHL, but obviously has decided to go a different route. . . .
F Jakub Rumpel (Medicine Hat, 2006-07) signed a one-year extension with Herne (Germany, Oberliga). This seaosn, he had 26 goals and 40 assists in 24 games.
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According to Tyler King, the Prince Albert Raiders have their general manager.
As noted above, King tweeted Friday morning that Curtis Hunt will be the Raiders’ next general manager.
Hunt resigned Friday as general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. King spent four seasons as the Oil Barons’ play-by-play man and also was their manager of communications. He left the club Monday and now is the manager of communications for the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits.
Having spent four seasons working with the Oil Barons, it’s safe to say that King has connections there.
Hunt just completed his first season with the Oil Barons, who were 35-28-6 under him, including all regular- and post-season play.
Hunt, 48, isn’t a stranger to Prince Albert or the WHL.
From North Battleford, Sask., he was a defenceman for three seasons (1984-87) with Raiders. He was a first-year defenceman on the Prince Albert team that won the 1985 Memorial Cup.
He also has been a WHL head coach for eight seasons — Moose Jaw Warriors (2002-04) and Regina Pats (2004-08, 2009-11).
The Raiders have been without a GM since Bruno Campese’s departure last month after eight years in the organization.
The new general manager joins a team that has its coaching staff in place, with head coach Marc Habscheid starting a four-year contract, associate coach Dave Manson starting a four-year extension and assistant coach Kelly Guard on a one-year deal.
The Raiders have a news conference scheduled for Monday morning at which there will be, according to a release, “a major announcement regarding” their hockey operations department.
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A note from Damien Cox, who writes Saturdays in the Toronto Star:
“Internally, the (Toronto Maple) Leafs continue to add personnel, although not a general manager yet. On Friday, with the departure of Steve Staios to the new Hamilton OHL franchise, Scott Pellerin was promoted within the player development area. It appears Brandon Wheat Kings owner/GM Kelly McCrimmon has a front office job waiting for him with the Leafs if he’s willing to leave Manitoba. Ditto for Sault Ste. Marie (head) coach Sheldon Keefe in a yet undefined coaching role.”
McCrimmon, of course, also is the Wheat Kings’ head coach.
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The Auston Matthews saga continues, with his agent, Pat Brisson, telling Mike G. Morreale of nhl.com that the projected No. 1 pick in the NHL’s 2016 draft will play with the ZSC Lions in Switzerland’s top pro league or the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. . . . Of course, there isn’t anything new in that, although perhaps this is the first time that Brisson has said the Matthews camp has ruled out the NCAA route. . . . Morreale’s story from Friday is right here.
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Jeff Pearlman, a respected author with a number of solid sports-related books to his credit, took some time on Friday to write about “when guys like Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon turned celebrity.” . . . It’s true. Guys like Smith and Wilbon used to be journalists . . . and highly credible journalists, at that. . . . Pearlman takes a look at that subject in a devastating piece that is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:

Jeff Tomlinson is the new head coach of the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, who play in Switzerland’s National League B. Tomlinson, 45, was an assistant coach with Germany at the IIHF World championship in Prague last month. He has coached in Germany for a number of years. . . . Tomlinson, from Winnipeg, played three seasons (1987-90) with the Prince Albert Raiders. He later played nine seasons in Europe.
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Tim Kehler, a former Swift Current Broncos assistant coach, has been added to the list of presenters at the fifth annual Hockey Coaches Conference that is scheduled for Vancouver, July 24-25. Kehler spent three seasons (2007-10) on the Broncos’ coaching staff. . . . He has spent the last four seasons in Europe, the past three as head coach of Löwen Frankfurt of DEL2. . . . Also on the list of presenters is Victoria Royals head coach Dave Lowry. . . . For more on the conference, click right here.
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The Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre is no more. Canalta Hotels has purchased naming rights for the new facility that is scheduled to open later this year. The arena now is known as the Canalta Centre. . . . Collin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News has more right here.
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THE CONCUSSION REPORT:

From a news release issued on Friday: “The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) supports the education-driven recommendations made by the jury serving on the inquest into the death of Rowan Stringer highlighting the important role an educated coach plays in the prevention, identification, and management of sport-related concussions and return to play for participants.” . . . This is important stuff. The complete release is right here.
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Anthony Davis, the San Francisco 49ers starting right tackle, has retired after five NFL seasons. The 25-year-old Davis, who was the 11th overall selection in the NFL’s 2010 draft, said in a release: “This will be a time for me to allow my brain and body a chance to heal. I know many won’t understand my decision, that’s OK.” . . . Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle has more right here.
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“Two former players have filed a landmark $200-million lawsuit against the Canadian Football League, former CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon, a leading brain injury expert and a Toronto neurology clinic, alleging they knew and withheld information about how repeated brain trauma leads to long-term cognitive problems,” Rick Westhead, TSN’s senior correspondent, reported on Friday. “The lawsuit was filed May 29 in Ontario Superior Court by Korey Banks and Eric (The Flea) Allen.” . . . Westhead’s story is right here.
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There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:23 PM
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