Raiders make coaching change . . . Ex-player hits WHL with lawsuit . . . Reinhart on way back to Ice

The Prince Albert Raiders made the first coaching change of the WHL season on Friday morning when management pulled the plug on head coach Cory Clouston.
Clouston signed on with the Raiders on June 1, 2013. He was in the second-year of a two-year deal, with the club holding an option on a third season.
The Raiders were 41-41-5 under Clouston. They made the playoffs last season, going 35-32-5 and then winning a sudden-death play-in game over the Red Deer Rebels. Prince Albert then was swept from a first-round series by the Edmonton Oil Kings, who went on to win the Memorial Cup.
General manager Bruno Campese, who also is in the final year of his contract, announced that associate coach Dave Manson would step in as interim head coach.
Manson was in control Friday night as the Raiders won 6-3 over the Warriors in Moose Jaw. That improved Prince Albert’s record to 7-9-0. (It was an interesting day for the Manson family, as Dave’s son, Josh, made his NHL debut last night, playing 12:30 with Anaheim as the Ducks beat the Stars 2-1 in OT in Dallas.)
The Raiders are at home to the Saskatoon Blades tonight, then don’t play until Wednesday when they meet the visiting Calgary Hitmen.
The Raiders were beaten 5-2 by the Hurricanes in Lethbridge on Wednesday night. That was the Raiders’ last game under Clouston, who also has been a WHL head coach with the Kootenay Ice and Brandon Wheat Kings.
Prince Albert’s players were informed of the decision Friday morning in Moose Jaw.
Campese told paNOW that a special meeting of the community-owned team’s board of directors was held Thursday night and a decision was made then to fire Clouston.
"It’s never easy, but it was something that the organization thought, moving forward was in the best interest of the hockey team," Campese told paNOW. "People can speculate all they want, but it was something that . . . I think has been discussed at a board level for . . . a few days, but the actual decision was made (Thursday) night."
The Raiders are expected to hire a new head coach in the next few days, perhaps even on the weekend.
The Raiders’ news release had hardly landed on the Internet when speculation began. In this day of social media, it doesn’t take much to start rumours.
First, I heard that the Raiders had asked the Regina Pats for permission to speak with assistant coach David Struch, who spent last season as the head coach of the Blades.
Then it was Lorne Molleken’s turn. Speculation had Molleken, the Blades’ general manager last season and a long-time WHL coach, taking over as the Raiders’ head coach for the remainder of this season.
Next up was Malcolm Cameron, who was fired as Regina’s head coach during the summer, shortly after new owners took over the Pats. Cameron now is coaching at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C.
No, Dan Bylsma’s name wasn’t mentioned. At least, not yet.
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After dropping a 5-2 decision to the Pats in Regina on Friday night, the Saskatoon Blades revealed that two players had suffered suspected concussions.
According to a story on the Blades’ website, “Alex Henry left in the second period after being on the receiving end of a headshot by Dryden Hunt, while Nik Amundrud was forced from the game early in the third after a run-in with Braden Christoffer, who collided with the netminder at full speed on a foiled breakaway attempt.
“Both players are suspected to have concussions.”
Henry is a 20-year-old defenceman, while Amundrud is a 17-year-old goaltender.
The Blades, who are to visit the Prince Albert Raiders tonight, recalled G Trevor Martin, 18, from the SJHL’s Melville Millionaires and D Nolan Reid, 16, from the midget AAA Notre Dame Argos.
Martin has a 0.74 GAA and a .977 save percentage with Melville.
Saskatoon also is without F Wyatt Sloboshan (broken jaw) and D Ryan Coghlan (shoulder).
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There were five games played in the WHL on Friday night, which also happened to be Hallowe’en.
Only one of the games, Saskatoon at Regina, drew more than 3,000 fans, with attendance there announced at 3,072.
In Moose Jaw, 2,943 fans showed up to watch the Warriors and Prince Albert Raiders. There were 2,351 fans in Lethbridge where the Hurricanes played the Brandon Wheat Kings.
In Swift Current, 1,911 fans saw the Broncos play the Calgary Hitmen.
And, in Cranbrook, only 1,901 fans were in the house as the Kootenay Ice played host to the Red Deer Rebels. After the game, Jeff Hollick, the radio voice of the Ice, tweeted that the attendance “was the smallest in team history.”
It will be interesting to see how many games are on the WHL schedule on Oct. 31, 2015, which will fall on a Saturday.
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The Spokane Chiefs will hold a Chiefs Care auction at the main entrance of Spokane Arena tonight, with proceeds directly benefiting former D Cole Hamblin in his fight against cancer.
Hamblin played for the Chiefs from 2010-12. He is battling Stage 4 mucoepidermoid carcinoma. He learned of his condition after experiencing severe back pain and weight loss as he prepared for this season at the U of Guelph. Hamblin has been hospitalized since Sept. 22.
“As an organization, it is important for us to support Cole and help his family through this,“ Tim Speltz, the Chiefs’ general manager, said in a news release. “We have had a number of fans ask how they can help, and (we) feel this auction as well as providing everyone with the online fundraiser information are the best ways to provide people the avenues to support the Hamblin family. Cole is a strong person who is facing his challenges head on and we have him in our thoughts through his recovery."
Included in the auction are a variety of items, including but not limited to:
* Cole Hamblin game-worn Chiefs jersey;
* Tyler Johnson game-worn signed Memorial Cup Chiefs jersey;
* Wayne Gretzky game-worn signed Chiefs jersey;
* 2013-14 Chiefs Breast Cancer Awareness theme jersey (blank, game style);
* 2013-14 Chiefs military theme jersey (blank, game style);
* George Brett signed baseball bat;
* Kyle Beach signed 50th goal stick;
* Mitch Holmberg signed stick & puck;
* Mitch Holmberg and Pat Falloon signed pucks (No. 1 and 2 career goals scored in franchise history);
* Disney On Ice suite (eight tickets);
* 2013-14 team-signed Mike Aviani game-worn helmet;
* Framed Tyler Johnson Tampa Bay Lightning photo; and,
* Photos donated by team photographer Gary Peterson.
The Chiefs, who are at home to the Red Deer Rebels tonight, also are encouraging fans to visit the gofundme campaign online. It was created in order to allow donations to be made to benefit Hamblin. The gofundme campaign is available at: http://www.gofundme.com/fhl9jk
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Lukas Walter, who played in the WHL with the Tri-City Americans (2011-13), has his name on lawsuits totalling $110 million that have been filed against the WHL and the QMJHL.
Walter, a 21-year-old from Langley, B.C., played last season with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs, picking up one assist and 141 penalty minutes in 53 games.
According to Rick Westhead of TSN:
“In his $50-million case against the QMJHL, Walter alleges that the league's teams conspired to rewrite standard player contracts last year to avoid paying players the legal minimum wage.
“In a second, $60-million case filed in Calgary against the WHL, Walter alleged that the work visa the Tri-City Americans secured for him to play for them is proof he had an employer-employee relationship with the team, and should be paid at least minimum wage.”
Westhead’s complete story is right here.
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Meanwhile, the Toronto Star’s Robert Cribb reports:
“Junior hockey player employment records, league contracts, U.S. immigration documents and two new class-action lawsuits in Quebec and Alberta imply — or explicitly state — that Canadian Hockey League clubs treat some of their players as employees, despite contrary public statements by league officials, an ongoing Star investigation has found.
“Six leading employment and tax lawyers interviewed by the Star say the 60-team CHL faces an uphill battle trying to defend against class-action lawsuits alleging its players are employees deserving of minimum wage and benefits.”
Cribb’s complete story is right here.
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The Kootenay Ice received some good news on Friday when the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres chose to send back F Sam Reinhart, the No. 2 overall selection in the NHL’s 2014 draft. Reinhart, who turns 19 on Nov. 6, had one assist in nine games with the Sabres. . . . Reinhart didn’t play last night, as the Ice dropped a 6-3 decision to the visiting Red Deer Rebels, and isn’t expected to be in the Ice’s lineup tonight against the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes. That being the case he likely would make his debut on Friday against the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Last season, he had 105 points, including 36 goals, in 60 games with the Ice. . . . You can bet, too, that Reinhart will be part of the Canadian team at the World Junior Championship. . . . "I told Sam, you're my top pick. I was cheering for him,” Buffalo GM Terry Murray said. “But it's about doing what's best for him and us," he said. "The issue wasn't skating, or hockey sense, for me it was strength."
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With Reinhart on his way back to the Ice, Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province wonders whether the Vancouver Giants should try and make a blockbuster deal with Kootenay.
Ewen’s piece is right here.
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FRIDAY'S GAMES:

In Lethbridge, F Rihards Bukarts scored a PP goal at 1:41 of OT to give the Brandon Wheat Kings a 5-4 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Lethbridge F Jamal Watson had forced extra time with his second goal of the game, and seventh of the season, at 16:54 of the third period. . . . The Wheat Kings had sat Bukarts, a Latvian who is their leading scorer, for two games in order to get in Russian F Richard Nejezchleb. Last night, they flipped it, playing Bukarts, 19, and sitting Nejezchleb, 20. . . . D Ivan Provorov, 17, is their other import. He had a goal, his eighth, and two assists last night. He drew the primary assist on the winner. . . . The Wheat Kings, who dressed 17 skaters, one under the maximum, were without D Ryan Pilon, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Wednesday’s 5-2 victory over the Giants in Vancouver. . . . Lethbridge G Zac Robidoux stopped 31 shots. Brandon F Tyler Coulter wasn’t able to beat him on a first-period penalty shot. . . . Brandon G Logan Thompson stopped 23 shots in his third career start. . . . Lethbridge lost F Ryley Lindgren in the first period. He left with an undisclosed injury after being involved in a collision with Provorov. . . . The Wheat Kings are 5-1-0 on a seven-game road trip that concludes tonight in Medicine Hat against the Tigers. The Wheat Kings, who now lead the overall standings, go into the game at 13-3-1, while the Tigers, who didn’t play last night, are 11-2-1. This will be Brandon’s seventh game in 11 nights. . . .

In Regina, F Patrick D’Amico scored twice to help the Pats to a 5-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Pats, who have won their last nine meetings with the Blades, scored the game’s first four goals, with D’Amico, who has eight goals, getting the first one, on a PP, and the fourth, while shorthanded. . . . The Blades had F Alex Forsberg back in the lineup after he missed two games with an undisclosed injury. He scored his seventh goal of the season on a second-period PP. . . . D Colby Williams and F Morgan Klimchuk each had two assists for Regina. . . . Saskatoon G Nik Amundrud stopped 27 of 31 shots before leaving the game following a goal-mouth collision at 11:02 of the second period. Alex Moodie came on in relief and was 7-for-7. . . . In an interesting pre-game note, Les Lazaruk, the radio voice of the Blades, pointed out that Saskatoon is 7-6-0 in Halloween games. The only time the Blades played the Pats on Oct. 31 was in 1967. The host Pats won, 9-3. . . .

In Cranbrook, the Red Deer Rebels built a 4-0 lead and then withstood a brief Kootenay comeback before beating the Ice, 7-3. . . . F Scott Feser, who had a goal and two assists, gave the Rebels a 4-0 lead with a shorthanded score at 2:17 of the second period. . . . The Ice got to within one, at 4-3, on F Vince Loschiavo’s second goal of the season at 9:44 of the third. . . . However, Red Deer F Meyer Nell got his second of the game, and sixth of the season, just 15 seconds later. . . . Red Deer D Brett Cote drew four assists. . . . The Rebels now have won four straight, while the Ice has lost seven in a row. . . .

In Moose Jaw, the Prince Albert Raiders scored four second-period goals en route to a 6-3 victory over the Warriors. . . . Moose Jaw, which has lost five straight, opened a 2-0 lead on two goals by F Tanner Eberle, at 7:15 and 7:56 of the first period. He’s got eight. . . . The Raiders scored the next five goals, two of them by F Craig Leverton, who also has eight. . . . D Sawyer Lange gave the visitors their first lead, with his second goal of the season, at 10:07 of the second period. . . . Raiders D Josh Morrissey scored his fourth goal and was plus-4. . . . The Raiders had fired head coach Cory Clouston earlier in the day, so this was interim head coach Dave Manson’s first victory. . . .

In Swift Current, G Landon Bow stopped 30 shots to lead the Broncos to a 3-0 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Bow had a league-leading four shutouts this season and five in his career. The franchise record for shutouts in a season is six and is shared by Ian Gordon (1993-94), Bryce Wandler (1999-2000) and Mark Friesen (2010-11). . . . F Carter Rigby opened the scoring, with his ninth, at 18:14 of the first period. . . . F Colby Cave added a PP score in the second period and F Jake DeBrusk added an empty-netter at 19:09 of the third. Cave has three; DeBrusk 10. . . . Calgary G Mack Shields stopped 13 shots as his mates had a 30-16 edge.
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OHL coach gets $7500 fine for saying "f you" to a reporter, 10x what Steve Konowalchuk got for saying WHL refs are "f-ing atrocious."
— Scott Sepich (@SSepich) October 31, 2014

An ex-player's point of view . . . Raiders point finger at BCHL's Vipers . . . Skinner stands tall in hometown

F Vitali Karamnov (Everett, 2007-08) was reassigned by Sibir Novosibirsk (Russia, KHL) to Yermak Angarsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga). He was pointless in two games during his recall with Novosibirsk. In seven games with Angarsk, he has two assists. . . .
D Renat Mamashev (Moose Jaw, 2000-01) has signed a one-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk (Russia, KHL). Mamashev was in training camp with New Jersey (NHL), but was never offered a contract. Last season, with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL), he was pointless in four games; he had one assist in two games with Chelmet Chelyabinsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga); and he had 12 points, five of them goals, in 32 games with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. . . .
F Lukáš Vantuch (Calgary, Lethbridge, 2005-07) has been released by Landshut (Germany, DEL2). He was under contract through Nov. 4. He had three assists in six games. Last season, with Landshut, he had 49 points, including 17 goals, in 53 games.
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THE EMAIL BAG:

When all is said and done, the class-action lawsuit that was filed against the CHL on Friday may well come down to the legality of the drafts that are held by the CHL's three leagues -- the OHL, QMJHL and WHL -- and the legality of their standard player contracts.
For now, though, people are talking about the money. The lawsuit claims that CHL players are underpaid in that they don't earn the minimum wage, whatever that might be in each jurisdiction. The CHL, meanwhile, claims that its players are student-athletes and that there is far more to their pay than money.
On Tuesday, I received an email from a former WHL player who has taken advantage of his education package. Here are a few thoughts from this player, who I found to be mature beyond his years when he was in the WHL:
"I don't see why the CHL can't pay the players a bit more. When I was 16, I got $160 a month, so $40 a week. C'mon. Really? I would like to see a breakdown of something like $200 a month for gas (or make it dependent on which city you play in, Seattle driving vs. Moose Jaw driving is obviously way different).
"Players don't get a per diem on the road so give them like $200 a month for food/snacks on the long bus trips, and then, say, $200 a month for entertainment (movies and other stuff).
"I'd start 16-year-olds at $600 a month and then go up $100 per age so 20-year-olds get $1,000 a month.
"As has been documented, junior life isn't always that great if you aren't a top NHL prospect. You miss out on a lot of family/life events, deal with crappy coaches, stress . . . all that stuff. I feel there should be more compensation to put up with that or at least enough to break even and not have to constantly go to parents for money . . . especially when the owners make lots of money.
"I know some teams lose money for sure, so they would have to do a revenue-sharing model of some sort like the NHL, which would piss off the successful owners.
"I was fortunate. Once my gas money was up, my parents gave me a MasterCard and I'd fill up the tank with their money. They'd let me use it for some meals and whatnot once my monthly stipend was gone.
"I'm sure if increased wages come up then the CHL will want to scrap the education packages (which truly are amazing and helpful), but then the CHL vs. NCAA tilts towards the NCAA possibly?
"It's a tough subject to figure out IMO. The players need more money to live. They don't need thousands of dollars a month, just give them enough so they can enjoy life as teenagers and not always have to awkwardly ask people for money and whatnot.
"I don't know where this will go, but for anyone to deny that $160 a month is enough to live on and enjoy your time is delusional."
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F Colton McCarthy, 18, left Prince Albert last week and the Raiders are claiming that there was some tampering involved. Head coach Cory Clouston is saying that the BCHL's Vernon Vipers were involved in McCarthy's decision. "If that happens in our league, it's tampering," Clouston said on radio station CKBI's Faceoff. . . . Mark Ferner, the Vipers' GM and head coach, told Jeff D'Andrea of panow.com that he had talked with Raiders GM Bruno Campese. . . . D'Andrea's story is right here.
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TUESDAY'S REPORT:

In Regina, the Portland Winterhawks scored two PP goals and another shorthanded as they beat the Pats, 3-1. . . . The Winterhawks were 2-4 on the PP. . . . F Skyler McKenzie gave the visitors a 2-0 lead with his first goal, shorthanded, at 12:30 of the first period. . . . McKenzie ended up with a charging major at 19:49 of the third period. . . . The Winterhawks are 2-1-0 on their East Division swing. . . . The Winterhawks, who play the Broncos tonight in Swift Current, may be in a bit of a quandary with their goaltending. Starter Brendan Burke left in the third period last night after appearing to tweak something while make a save. Bolton Pouliot, who came over from Kamloops last week, came off the bench to finish up. Aden Hill, Portland's other goaltender, showed up on the injured list Tuesday; he's out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. . . . Burke finished with 24 saves on 25 shots and was selected as second star. Pouliot, who came on at 3:42 of the third period, stopped 10 shots. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Raiders scored the game's last three goals and beat the Kootenay Ice, 3-2. . . . F Jayden Hart got the winner at 13:43 of the third period. . . . The Ice led 2-0 on F River Beattie's first goal at 8:10 of the first period. . . . Raiders G Nick McBride stopped 28 shots. . . . The Raiders have won two straight after losing five in a row. . . . The Ice remains without F Tim Bozon, who is sidelined with an undisclosed injury, but did get F Vince Loschiavo back after a four-game absence with an undisclosed injury. . . . With F Colton McCarthy and F Dakota Conroy having left the team, Raiders head coach Cory Clouston had to do some line juggling. Left with 11 forwards, he also had to move a defenceman up front. . . . Jeff D’Andrea of panow.com has the game story right here . . .

In Edmonton, G Stuart Skinner stopped 47 shots through OT and added three more in the shootout as the Lethbridge Hurricanes got past the Oil Kings, 2-1. . . . Skinner, who is from Edmonton, won't turn 16 until Nov. 1. He was the 17th overall selection in the 2013 bantam draft. . . . Edmonton had won four in a row. . . . The Hurricanes snapped a six-game losing skid. . . . F Tyler Wong of Lethbridge broke a scoreless tie at 1:50 of the third. . . . Edmonton F Andrew Koep tied it with his sixth goal of the season at 10:53. . . . Lethbridge F Jamal Watson scored in the shootout to win it.
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Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that the Silvertips are without F Dawson Leedahl (knee). He has had an MRI and the team is awaiting the results. According to Patterson, Leedahl will be out either four to six weeks or four to six months. He’s a big part of the Silvertips’ shutdown line. . . . The Medicine Hat Tigers came out winners on Friday at the Chamber of Commerce’s Business Awards gala. The Tigers were presented with the the 2014 Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce Southeast Alberta Shines Award, an award that used to be known as the Tourism Award of Distinction. The award, according to a news release, “recognizes a business, organization or group that has demonstrated outstanding achievement in putting Medicine Hat and/or Southeast Alberta 'on the map' as a great place to live, work and/or visit.” Dave Andjelic, the Tigers’ senior director, marketing and public relations, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
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A 6 year old today told me I look like Justin Bieber... Not sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult
— Isaac Schacher (@ShockDoctor27) October 21, 2014

THE MacBETH REPORT:

F Stanislav Balan (Portland, 2005-06) has been assigned on loan by Zlin (Czech Republic, Extraliga) to Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga) for at least the start of next season. Balan had 16 goals and 31 assists in 43 games for Poprad (Slovakia, Extraliga) this season. . . .




F Sami Sandell (Brandon, 2004-06) signed a one-year plus option contract with Ilves Tampere (Finland, SM-Liiga). He had three goals and five assists in 40 games with Luleå (Sweden, Elitserien) this season. . . .




D Tomas Slovak (Kelowna, 2001-03) signed a one-year contract extension with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had four goals and seven assists in 27 games with Plzen this season.
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1. Well, if you didn’t have a dog in either hunt that was a wasted evening of TV viewing. The Boston Bruins blew out the host Pittsburgh Penguins and after two games hold a 9-1 edge in goals, while the Miami Heat picked apart the visiting Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of an NBA division final. . . . An evening that began with much promise, when pfffft in a hurry.
2. Beth Bragg of the Anchorage Daily News reports that the U of Alaska-Anchorage is down to six finalists as it searches for a new head coach for its hockey team. Her story is right here, and it includes all six names, which is kind of interesting. . . . Can’t you just see a WHL team allowing its fans to follow along as it searches for a head coach!
3. With the Prince Albert Raiders having hired Cory Clouston as head coach, there now are two WHL teams — the Everett Silvertips and Lethbridge Hurricanes — who still have vacancies in that position.
4. The Hurricanes are the only team in the 22-team league without a head coach and a logo.
5. A few years ago, I got an email from a hockey fan named Bill Motiuk. He had put a lot of thought into hockey’s loser point — in many leagues, including the WHL, a team losing a game in overtime or a shootout receives one point. In brief, Motiuk proposed right here that a winner in regulation time be given three points, with two points going to an OT winner and one to a shootout winner. The loser wouldn’t get anything.
The more I thought about it, the more I liked it. Of course, the powers-that-be have yet to see the light.
Recently, I received another email from Motiuk, this time with “something for hockey fans to throw around in the down time between playoff series.”
And rather than have me explain it, here he is . . .
“How would the game change if a team getting a power play with less than two minutes left in a period had the option of taking the penalty at the time of the call or at the start of the next period?
“Why the option?
“As it stands now, the penalty and subsequent power play are not really for two minutes. For example, it could be a 45-second power play in one period and a one-minute 15-second power play in the next period.
“The amount of time allotted to the power play in each period currently depends on or at what time after the 18 minute-mark the penalty was called. How often is a goal scored at the end of a period on a penalty called at 19:30 of the period? That 30 seconds is probably the easiest bit of time to kill.
“Even if you have the momentum and are pressing on the power play, the clock puts a stop to that even though you have 90 of PP time left. And when the next period begins the faceoff is at centre ice where if you lose the draw another few seconds are lost.
“As it stands now the team taking a penalty with fewer than two minutes to play in a period faces less of a challenge than it would if that same penalty were called with two or more minutes remaining in the period.
“Adopting my suggestion would most likely change a dynamic in coaching. The ability of the coach would become more evident as to his effect on the outcome of a game. Does the coach accept the time of the penalty when called to continue his team’s momentum (if his team has it) or does he go to the dressing room and draw up a plan to exploit any weaknesses he may have observed? As well, when a new period begins, his players will be rested and the ice will be fresh.
“Of course, the other team also will be rested. So does he give the opposing team a chance to re-group?
“The score at the end of the period would be another variable. Heading toward overtime near the end of the third period would also add another dynamic. Does he try to win in regulation time and deny the other team a single point or does he gamble and carry the full two-minute penalty into overtime, in a 4-on-3 situation, which has a high percentage likelihood of a power play goal and the two points?
“If he allows the penalty time to be split over the period and into overtime and the power play comes up dry, the OT becomes a toss-up as to who will win. It could all come down to who can out-coach whom?
“I’m sure a lot of people could come up many more pros and cons for this idea, but I just wanted to throw it out there to see if it raises any thoughts.”
6. I will throw out another suggestion, one that I heard Kamloops Blazers head coach Dave Hunchak mention during one of his radio appearances at the recent Memorial Cup.
If hockey really wants to increase scoring, Hunchak suggested, the nets should be enlarged, but only upwards. If they were six inches higher, putting cross-bars 54 inches off the ice, he continued, goaltenders would have to spend a lot more time standing up.
Make the goaltenders stand up more and they are able to play less butterfly, meaning the bottom of the net would be open for more scoring.
I am quick to admit that I am a traditionalist, but hockey needs more goals. It’s obvious that the equipment worn by goaltenders isn’t going to be downsized a whole lot, if at all.
So, hey, why not raise the cross-bar by six inches?
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THE COACHING GAME:
Cory Clouston is back in the game, this time as head coach of the Prince Albert Raiders. The WHL team announced Monday that it had signed Clouston to a two-year deal, with the team holding an option on a third season. . . . Clouston, a two-time WHL coach of the year while with the Kootenay Ice, is the 13th head coach in Raiders’ history. . . . He left the Ice after 2007-08 and spent a bit more than one season as head coach of the AHL’s Binghamton Senators, moving up as head coach of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators with 34 games left in 2008-09. Clouston spent two more seasons with Ottawa before being dropped, and then was head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings for one season, going 39-28-5 in 2011-12. He was fired shortly after the season ended. . . . With the Raiders, Clouston replaces Steve Young. The Raiders announced on April 29 that they wouldn’t pick up the option on Young’s contract. . . . Associate coach Dave Manson and assistant coach Tim Leonard will work alongside Clouston. . . . Perry Bergson of the Prince Albert Daily Herald has more right here.


The ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets are expected to name a new head coach today. They are replacing veteran coach Al Sims, who retired after the season. . . . The new coach may well be Gary Graham, a Fort Wayne native who was an assistant under Sims. 


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.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Pavel Kubina (Moose Jaw, 1996-97) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Genève-Servette (Switzerland, NL A). He had three goals and 12 assists in 69 games with Tampa Bay and Philadelphia last season. Switzerland has a transfer deadline of Feb. 15. Kubina is represented by former Tri-City F Vladimir Vujtek Jr. . . .

F Garrett Festerling (Portland, Regina, 2003-07) signed a one-year contract extension with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL). He has 12 goals and 21 assists in 43 games for the Freezers this season. Festerling also has made five appearances with the German National Team this season, getting one goal and one assist. Festerling was under contract with Hamburg through the 2013-14 season, so this extension keeps him under contract through the 2014-15 season.
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From the Brandon Sun: “Brandon native and WHL official Matt Kirk has been chosen as a referee for the IIHF men’s world championship, May 3-19 in Stockholm, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland.”
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For an interesting and, I would suggest, accurate look at a ranking of CHL teams, check out this right here. It’s done by Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports.
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The B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2013 on Tuesday. It includes the 1993-94 and 1994-95 Kamloops Blazers, both of which won the Memorial Cup, and former Blazers F Mark Recchi.
Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun has more right here.
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A couple of interesting items from the Kootenay Ice’s weekly news update. . . . Ryan McGill became the second head coach in franchise history to win 200 regular-season games. He got there with a 4-0 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday. . . . The other Ice head coach with 200 victories? Cory Clouston, with 209. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski has stopped 24 out of 25 shootout attempts this season.
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The matchups if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton vs. Lethbridge
Saskatoon vs. Medicine Hat
Calgary vs. Swift Current
Prince Albert vs Red Deer

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland vs. Seattle
Kelowna vs. Everett
Kamloops vs. Tri-City
Victoria vs. Spokane
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, D Morgan Rielly and F Justin Kirsch each scored twice as the Warriors dumped the Prince Albert Raiders, 4-1. . . . Moose Jaw G Justin Paulic stopped 29 shots. . . . Rielly has nine goals. . . . Kirsch got his 20th of the season into an empty net. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports: “The Warriors were without defenceman Kirk Johnson who has returned home to tend to a personal matter. Fellow defenceman Spencer Morse was out of the lineup due to a coach’s decision.” . . . The Warriors continue to be without G Daniel Wapple (concussion) and have Zachary Sawchenko, who turned 15 on Dec. 30, backing up Paulic. . . . The Warriors are 12 points out of a playoff spot with 15 games to play. . . . The Raiders have lost two straight. East Division leaders for most of this season — that’s worth the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference — the Raiders now are fourth in the conference, and they’re just three points ahead of the fifth-place Red Deer Rebels. . . .

In Regina, F Jacob Doty broke a 3-3 tie at 7:50 of the third period and the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Pats, 4-3. . . . Tigers F Hunter Shinkaruk, in his first game after missing three with a knee injury, had a goal and an assist. . . . Doty’s goal was his 11th; Shinkaruk has 31. . . . The Pats erased a 3-1 third-period deficit on goals by F Marc McCoy at 4:16 and F Morgan Klimchuk, his 28th, just 40 seconds later. . . . Regina, with 15 games remaining, now trails the Tigers and Lethbridge Hurricanes by 13 points. The Tigers and Hurricanes hold down the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . .

In Saskatoon, the Blades ran their winning streak to nine games with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Blazers F Josh Nicholls forced OT with a goal, his 36th, with 28.8 seconds left in the third period and then got the winner in the circus. . . . The victory lifted the once-struggling Blades into a tie with Prince Albert atop the East Division standings. The Blades hold a game in hand. . . . One supposes there is no more Internet ramblings about yanking the Blades out as the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup. . . . F Graham Black had two goals and two assists for the Broncos. . . . Swift Current F Colby Cave gave his guys a 4-3 lead with his 15th goal, shorthanded, at 11:49 of the third. . . . The Broncos erased a 3-1 deficit on goals by F Chance Lund, Black and Cave. . . . Saskatoon F Matej Stransky got his 30th goal and ran his point streak to nine games. . . . Saskatoon F Michael Ferland also has a nine-game streak going. He had an asist last night. . . . Nicholls was the only one of six shooters to score in the shootout. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Victor Rask scored three times as the Calgary Hitmen dumped the Tri-City Americans, 6-2. . . . Rask has 10 goals. . . . The Hitmen scored the game’s first four goals. . . . F Brooks Macek had a goal, his 27th, and two assists for Calgary. . . . Calgary scored four goals on eight shots in the second period. . . . Tri-City starter Luke Lee-Knight gave way to Troy Trombley in the second period. Trombley made his second appearance since joining the team after Eric Comrie (hip) was shut down in mid-January. . . . Tri-City has lost three in a row. . . . The Hitmen are 4-0 on a five-game U.S. Division swing that ends tonight in Spokane. . . . Calgary has played its last eight games on the road, going 5-3-0. It returns home Saturday against Victoria.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Evan Morden, Prince Albert
F Braden Christoffer, Regina
F Elgin Pearce, Medicine Hat

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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From former Red Deer Rebels G Darcy Kuemper (@dkuemps35): “Thank you so much everyone for all the support! What an experience that was tonight, wish we could have pulled out the win tho. #whatarush”
The Minnesota Wild recalled Kuemper, 22, from the AHL’s Houston Aeros and he made his NHL debut last night, going the distance with 28 saves in a 2-1 loss to the Canucks in Vancouver.

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As of Thursday night, each of the WHL’s 22 teams had a head coach in place for the upcoming season.
The Victoria Royals completed the circle on Thursday when they introduced Dave Lowry as their head coach, replacing Marc Habscheid, who has been bumped upstairs within the franchise’s parent company.
On Wednesday, the Brandon Wheat Kings announced that long-time assistant coach Dwayne Gylywoychuk had been promoted to head coach. Gylywoychuk, who holds the Wheat Kings’ franchise record for most games played, replaces Cory Clouston, who was dropped, despite having a year left on his contract, following the end of last season.
Lowry, 47, spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames. His contract wasn’t renewed following last season as the Flames cleaned out their coaching staff.
Lowry, who spent 19 years playing professionally, began his coaching career with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. He signed on as an assistant coach for 2005-06, was promoted to associate coach for 2007-08, and was named head coach the following season. In 2008-09, he guided the Hitmen to a 59-9-4 record. They then swept three playoff series before losing the WHL final in six games to the Kelowna Rockets.
While Habscheid was a defence-first kind of coach, Lowry told reporters: “I like an up-tempo game but obviously will have to assess the personnel to see what style of play is conducive to us winning.”
Habscheid also had served as the club’s general manager. That position was filled July 6 with the hiring of Cam Hope, who said he “didn’t know (Lowry) at all.” Lowry said it was important to him that he come to an organization in which the two positions were split.
“Too much gets missed when those positions are combined,” Lowry told Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist. “When (I was) told it would be two separate positions, that piqued my interest because I have no interest in doing the GM part of it. My strength is coaching and that’s what I wanted to do.”
As for moving from the NHL to major junior, Lowry said: “The game is the same. The only difference is the pay scale.”
Lowry’s oldest son, Adam, 19, is preparing for his fourth season with the Swift Current Broncos. His NHL rights belong to the Winnipeg Jets. Another son, Joel, is preparing for his sophomore season with the Cornell Big Red. His NHL rights are with the Los Angeles Kings. Joel played two seasons with the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies.
Dave Lowry’s first game behind the Royals’ bench will come Aug. 30 when they travel to Kamloops to meet the Blazers in an exhibition game.
The Royals didn’t make any announcements regarding assistant coaches.
Gylywoychuk, meanwhile, is a 39-year-old Winnipegger who played 323 regular-season games with the Wheat Kings. He has been an assistant coach with the Wheat Kings since 2003, working under head coaches Dean Clark, Mike Kelly, Kelly McCrimmon and Clouston.
McCrimmon, the Wheat Kings’ owner and general manager, also announced Darren Ritchie will be back for a sixth season as an assistant coach.
Last week, the Lethbridge Hurricanes announced they had picked up the 2013-14 option on GM/head coach Rich Preston’s contract.
However, there is speculation that Preston may have an opportunity to join the coaching staff of the Stanley Cup-champion Los Angeles Kings. He was an assistant coach under Kings’ head coach Darryl Sutter with the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames.
Preston has been with the Hurricanes through three seasons.
A source familiar with Preston and his situation said last night that Preston has an out clause in his new contract that would allow him to leave to accept an offer from the Kings. The source also said he wouldn’t be at all surprised if Preston ended up in L.A.
The Kings are looking to fill a hole created when Jamie Kompon, a six-year assistant, left and signed with the Chicago Blackhawks.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Jiri Ryzuk (Kootenay, 2007-09) signed a one-year contract with Weiden (Germany, Oberliga). He had one goal and five assists in 37 games with Selb (Germany, Oberliga) last season. . . .
G Justin Pogge (Prince George, Calgary, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with Ritten/Renon (Italy, Serie A). He had a 3.07 GAA and a .890 save percentage in 37 games with the Portland Pirates (AHL) last season.
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And then there was one . . .
The Brandon Wheat Kings named Dwayne Gylywoychuk as their newest head coach on Wednesday, leaving the Victoria Royals as the only WHL team presently without a head coach.
However, there was ample speculation yesterday that the Royals, who have a news conference scheduled for today, will name Cory Clouston as their head coach.
Gylywoychuk, a former Wheat Kings defenceman and long-time assistant coach, replaces Clouston, who was let go with a year left on his contract after last season.
There also has been speculation that Rich Preston, the general manager and head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, still may end up as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings. I had heard that rumour a while ago, but put it to bed last week when the Hurricanes announced they had picked up the 2013-14 option on Preston’s contract. However, Preston does have a relationship with Kings head coach Darryl Sutter, who is looking for an assistant coach.
Meanwhile, in Brandon, Gylywoychuk, a 39-year-old Winnipeg native, has been an assistant coach with the Wheat Kings since 2003. As an assistant coach in Brandon, he has worked under head coaches Dean Clark, Mike Kelly, Kelly McCrimmon and Clouston.
McCrimmon is the franchise’s owner, governor and general manager, and many observers had expected him to end up back behind the bench.
Gylywoychuk played five seasons with the Wheat Kings and holds the franchise record for most games played (323).
Assistant coach Darren Ritchie will be back for a sixth season with the Wheat Kings.
Gylywoychuk also is serving as an assistant coach with Team West, the squad that will represent Manitoba and Saskatchewan at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge after Christmas.
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Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada has written his final 30 Thoughts – it’s actually 44 thoughts – for the 2011-12 season and they’re right here.
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The Tri-City Americans have added Dan Price to their coaching staff, while announcing that assistant coach Brent Bilodeau has resigned. . . . Price, a former goaltender, worked under Americans head coach Jim Hiller with the Chilliwack Bruins (hey, remember them?). . . . Bilodeau, a former WHL defenceman who enjoyed a lengthy pro career, has been named a coaching advisor for the Tri-Cities Amateur Hockey Association.
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F Andy Blanke has decided not to return to the Swift Current Broncos for his 20-year-old season. Instead, he will attend the U of Saskatchewan and play for the Huskies. Blanke, who is from Swift Current, had 11 points and a team-high 168 penalty minutes in 71 games with the Broncos last season. He played three seasons with them, missing only 10 games over that time. He finished with 28 points, including nine goals, and 312 penalty minutes.
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What happened in Cranbrook?

Jeff Chynoweth, the president and general manager of the Kootenay Ice, fired head coach Kris Knoblauch on Friday morning.
The news became public when a terse two-sentence press release was posted on the Ice’s website.
Here is that release in its entirety:
“Jeff Chynoweth, General Manager of the Kootenay ICE Hockey Club, today announced the Club has terminated Kris Knoblauch’s contract effective immediately. No other comments will be given at this time.”
Knoblauch, 33, just completed his second season as the Ice’s head coach. In his first season, 2010-11, the Ice won the WHL championship.
When this season ended, Knoblauch had one year left on his contract. Earlier this month, Chynoweth, convinced that his head coach was staying put, gave him a one-year extension through 2013-14.
The U of Alberta Golden Bears, Knoblauch’s alma mater, has been looking for a head coach. They posted the position with an application deadline of May 15.
At that time, Chynoweth said he knew Knoblauch was interested in returning to the U of A. At the same time, Chynoweth said he didn’t know if he could wait until after May 15 to find out whether his coach was leaving.
When the job was posted, Stan Marple, the U of A’s general manager and assistant coach, called Knoblauch, who brought it to Chynoweth.
Chynoweth, who never did hear from the U of Alberta during this process, told Knoblauch that he would give him a one-week window to decide what he wanted to do.
Knoblauch went back to Marple but the U of A had already posted the job with the May 15 deadline so wasn’t able to make a move at that time.
When the Golden Bears’ selection committee revealed earlier this week that it had short-listed to four, there was speculation that Knoblauch was on that list.
When I asked Chynoweth early in the week if Knoblauch was “in the running,” the response I got was: “Nope, never really has been.”
On Thursday night, a source told me that Chynoweth had given Knoblauch a one-year extension. Chynoweth confirmed that this morning.
When I contacted Chynoweth late Thursday night to see if Knoblauch definitely was out of the U of A picture, I was told that “Kris is in Saskatchewan visiting his family and his wife’s family. He is driving back to Cranbrook next week.”
While Chynoweth isn’t commenting on Knoblauch’s dismissal, it would seem that sometime after that he became aware that Knoblauch indeed is a candidate for the Golden Bears’ head-coaching position and that, yes, he is on the short list.
Chynoweth, who did tell me that he is “bitterly disappointed” in what has transpired, had held talks with Knoblauch earlier this week involving the hiring of an assistant coach. Todd Johnson, the Ice’s former assistant, left after the season to sign on as head coach of the U of Regina Cougars.
When Chynoweth confirmed Friday morning that Knoblauch was pursuing the Golden Bears job, Chynoweth felt he had no choice but to relieve Knoblauch of his duties.
It was the first time in his career that Chynoweth has fired a coach or anyone in hockey management.
That leaves the Ice and Brandon Wheat Kings as WHL teams without head coaches at this time.
The Wheat Kings fired Cory Clouston last week with a year left on his contract. Clouston spent five seasons (2002-06) as the Ice’s head coach.
Yes, you will hear Clouston’s name as a possible replacement in Cranbrook. You almost certainly also will hear Dean Chynoweth’s name. Chynoweth, Jeff’s brother, lost his job as an assistant coach with the NHL’s New York Islanders after their season ended. Dean, a former captain of the Medicine Hat Tigers, has WHL coaching experience with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Swift Current Broncos.
Ryan McGill, who was the Ice’s head coach when it won the 2002 Memorial Cup, was dropped as an assistant coach by the Calgary Flames after the 2010-11 season. He now is in the oil and gas business in Calgary.

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