F Patrick Holland (Tri-City, 2008-13) signed a one-year contract with HPK Hämeenlinna (Finland, Liiga). Last season, with the St. John's Ice Caps (AHL), he had two assists in 21 games. He also had a goal and three assists in four games with the Ontario Reign (ECHL). . . .
F Colin Fraser (Red Deer, 2001-05) signed a one-year contract with the Nuremburg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL). Last season, he was pointless in one game with the St. Louis Blues (NHL) 1 GP. He spent most of the season with the Chicago Wolves (AHL). An alternate captain, he had nine goals and eight assists in 59 games.———
Brendan Hunchak, the son of former Moose Jaw Warriors and Kamloops Blazers head coach Dave Hunchak, has been selected to play for Team B.C. at the peewee box lacrosse nationals in Whitby, Ont., later this summer. . . . The winner of peewee nationals, for players ages 11 and 12, will receive the E.G. Dopp Trophy. . . . Brendan Hunchak, who is a goaltender, and Connor Barrett, both of Kamloops, made Team B.C. . . . The tournament in Whitby runs from Aug. 1-9. . . . In Kamloops, the 2003 age group in lacrosse is said to be perhaps the strongest the city has seen, with much of the credit belonging to the likes of coaches Sean Campbell, Doug Clarke, Geoff Krug, Neill Steed and Brook Webster. . . . As an aside, it’s worth noting that Barrett’s mother, Eryn Bulmer Barrett, was a world-class diver who was on Canada’s national team for 11 years, and is a two-time Olympian. She recently worked as Kate Upton’s stunt double during the filming in Vancouver of The Layover, a film that is scheduled for release in 2016.
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F Riley Sheen (Medicine Hat, Seattle, Lethbridge, Red Deer, 2011-15) has committed to attend NAIT in Edmonton and play for the Ooks, under head coach Serge Lajoie. Sheen, from Edmonton, played out his eligibility last season as he split 71 games between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Red Deer Rebels. He totalled 71 points, 24 of them goals, in 71 games.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Tuesday that they have hired Jim Hiller, DJ Smith and Andrew Brewer as assistant coaches under head coach Mike Babcock. Hiller, who coached in the WHL with the Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?) and Tri-City Americans, spent last season with Babcock in Detroit, as did Brewer. Smith was the head coach of the Memorial Cup-winning Oshawa Generals. . . . Smith spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, winning two Memorial Cups, before joining the Generals in June 2012.——
On Tuesday evening, Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada tweeted that he is “hearing Todd Nelson will be the next coach at AHL Grand Rapids — Detroit's affiliate.” . . . Nelson, a defenceman, played four seasons with his hometown Prince Albert Raiders (1986-90). . . . Nelson, 46, has been coaching since 2001-02 when he was a player-assistant with the United league’s Muskegon Fury. He split last season between the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons and the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. . . . Grand Rapids is without a head coach because Jeff Blashill now is head coach of the parent Detroit Red Wings.———
The Prince Albert Raiders have signed their two first-round selections from the 2015 bantam draft — F
Cole Fonstad and F Carson Miller. . . . Fonstad, from Estevan, Sask., was the fifth overall selection. He had 67 points, including 36 goals, in 29 games with the bantam AA Estevan Bruins last season. He had 10 points, six of them goals, in 10 playoff games. . . . Miller, from Yorkton, Sask., was the 21st overall pick. He played for the bantam AA Yorkton Terriers, putting up 107 points, including 49 goals, in 31 games. He had 21 points, seven of them goals, in nine playoff games. He was the Saskatchewan Bantam AA League’s leading scorer in the regular season and in the playoffs.———
Sheldon Kennedy actually turned 46 on Monday, so we’re a couple of days late. But . . . Happy Birthday!
Happy 46th to dedicated child abuse advocate & experienced rollerblader Sheldon Kennedy (@ShelKenn). @RespectGroup pic.twitter.com/rHQwt8ToZT
— O-Pee-Chee Stars (@opeecheestars) June 16, 2015
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