Blazers won't replace departed coach ... Iverson inks pro deal ... Will Hossa have to retire?

F Rodrigo Ābols (Portland, 2015-17) has signed a two-year contract with Örebro (Sweden, SHL). Last season, with he had one assist in two games with the Portland WInterhawks (WHL), then moved east and had 18 goals and 32 assists in 52 games with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL). . . .

D Dalton Yorke (Kelowna, Prince Albert, Tri-City, 2012-17) has signed a one-year contract with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, DEL2). Last season, he had 15 assists in 72 games with Tri-City. Yorke has dual German-Canadian citizenship. . . .

F Filip Ahl (Regina, 2016-17) has signed a one-year contract with Örebro (Sweden, SHL). Last season, he had 28 goals and 20 assists in 54 games with Regina.

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The Kamloops Blazers revealed on Tuesday that they won’t be replacing veteran assistant coach Terry Bangen. He left to join the Worcester Railers, an expansion team that will begin play in the ECHL in 2017-18.
Jamie Russell, who is a Kamloops native, is the general manager and head coach in Worcester and was able to get Bangen to head east.

The remainder of the Blazers’ coaching staff will remain intact, with Don Hay back for a fourth season. Hay will go into the 2017-18 season with 720 regular-season coaching victories, just 22 shy of the record held by Ken Hodge, who coached with the original Edmonton Oil Kings and the Portland Winterhawks.

Mike Needham is returning for a fourth season as Hay’s lead assistant, while Chris Murray is back for a fourth season in a part-time role. Dan De Palma will begin an eighth season as the club’s goaltending coach.

As well, Colin (Toledo) Robinson returns for a 13th season as the team’s athletic trainer. This will be his 22nd season in the WHL.

The Blazers also will have Matt Recchi back as the director of player personnel, with Ken Fox returning as head scout.

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F Keegan Iverson, the captain of last season’s Portland Winterhawks, has signed an AHL contract with the Ontario Reign, which is affiliated with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. . . . Iverson played 293 regular-season games over six seasons with the Winterhawks. He put up 190 points, including 80 goals. . . . Last season, as a 20-year-old, he had 26 goals and 44 assists in 55 games. . . . He also played for the Winterhawks as they won the WHL’s 2013 championship. . . . From St. Louis Park, Minn., Iverson was selected by the New York Rangers in the third round of the NHL’s 2014 draft but they never signed him.

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Stefan Burzan of Surrey, B.C., is the new general manager of the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. He takes over from Rob Evers, who now is the team’s head coach. . . . Burzan, 22, was a sixth-round pick by the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL’s 2009 bantam draft and played two games with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2011-12. . . . He presently is a business student at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

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Hockey Canada has invited about 200 players and all kinds of support staff to various summer camps. For more info, including rosters, check out Hockey Canada’s website. At the same time, let’s banish all thoughts about summer hockey being a nuisance and admit that when the governing body gets involved like this it officially is declaring hockey a year-round thing. So, kids, forget about playing more than one sport and forget about golfing and fishing and ice cream at the Snack Shack. Hey, get back into the gym, then get the blades sharpened and hit the ice. There no longer is an off-season when it comes to hockey.

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Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada has filed his weekly 30 Thoughts, and he leads with a piece on former Portland Winterhawks F Marian Hossa. Friedman reports that Hossa has developed a nasty allergy, one that involves the hockey gear that he wears, and may have to retire. . . . That, and so much more, is right here.

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The QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads have named Jim Midgley as their new head coach. He takes over from Andre Tourigny, who left to become head coach of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s. . . . Midgley spent the past six seasons with as an assistant coach in Halifax, one working alongside Tourigny and five with Dominique Ducharme. . . . Midgley also has been on the coaching staff of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs, as well as the Acadia U Axemen.

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Kyle Adams is the new head coach of the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder. Adams has junior A coaching experience in B.C., Alberta and the Maritimes. . . . He spent last season with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs as assistant GM/associate coach. . . . The Thunder recently underwent an ownership change. . . . Adams takes over from Jesse Dorrans, who resigned in May.

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Schmidli signs pro deal, so won't be back in Prince Albert

Let’s have a tip of the hat and a whole bunch of stick taps for Bruno Campese, the general manager of the Prince Albert Raiders.
There are a lot of junior hockey people who talk about doing things in the best interests of their

BRUNO CAMPESE

players, but you wonder how many of them would have done something that Campese did just the other day? Kris Schmidli, who is from Zurich, Switzerland, recently had a conversation with Campese. Schmidli, who is preparing for his 19-year-old season, had received a contract offer from a pro team in Zurich. Oh, what to do?
“He asked me what I thought,” Campese told Jeff D’Andrea of paNOW, “and I just told him that he’s not going to play in the National Hockey League . . . in his career, he’s going to be a European pro. He’s getting offered a decent contract for his first year of pro and I just think (it’s) in his best interest to look at that option, which he has. We’re happy for him.”
After talking with Campese, Schmidli signed with the GCK Lions, a team that plays in his hometown of Zurich. The Lions play in Switzerland’s National League B.
Campese is to be saluted for his honesty.

Because while Schmidli, who is 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, may never play in the NHL, he would have been a key part of the Raiders in 2015-16.

KRIS SCHMIDLI

Campese acquired Schmidli as part of the deal in which F Leon Draisaitl, the German star, was sent to the Kelowna Rockets. That deal was forced on Campese because the Edmonton Oilers, who hold Draisaitl’s NHL rights, refused to return him to Prince Albert and let it be known that they wanted him in Kelowna.
Campese dealt Draisaitl, who had put up 105 points, including 38 goals, in 64 games in 2013-14. This season, in 32 regular-season games with the Rockets, Draisaitl had 53 points, 19 of them goals.
Along with Schmidli, Campese acquired D Dalton Yorke, who will be 19 next season, a 2015 first-round bantam draft pick, a fourth-round pick in 2016 and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2016 or 2017.
Injuries limited Schmidli to 17 games with the Raiders, but he was a point-a-game producer. He didn’t play between Feb. 4 and March 14 as the Raiders battled for their playoff lives, a fight they eventually lost.
All told, Schmidli put up 34 points, 12 of them goals, in 50 games this season. One season earlier, as a freshman, he had 35 points, nine of them goals, in 68 games with Kelowna.
You can bet that when the deal was made Campese saw Schmidli as a big part of next season’s team.
Instead, Campese will go into the CHL’s 2015 import draft with an opening.
The Raiders’ other import is Czech F Simon Stransky, who won’t turn 18 until Dec. 21. This season, as a freshman, Stransky had 42 points, 12 of them goals, in 70 games.
D’Andrea’s complete story is right here.

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Warriors, Giants sign head coaches . . . Two others on vacation!

D Ivan Baranka (Everett, 2003-05) has signed a one-year contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, with Avangard Omsk (Russia, KHL), he had 20 points, 19 of them assists, in 47 games. . . .



F Dylan Wruck (Edmonton, 2008-13) has signed a one-year contract with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL). Last season, Wruck had six points, including four goals, in three games with the Ontario Reign (ECHL). He missed most of the season due to injury. Wruck has dual Canadian-German citizenship. . . .

D Sam Klassen (Saskatoon, 2006-10) has signed a one-year contract with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL). He has dual Canadian-German citizenship. Last season, he had 10 points, one of them a goal, with the Greenville Road Warriors (ECHL), a goal and an assist in nine games with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL), and one assist in 10 games with the Portland Pirates (AHL). . . .

F Jaroslav Obšut (Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Edmonton Ice, 1995-97) has signed a one-year contract with Corona Brasov (Romania, MOL Liga). Last season, with Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga), he had 15 points, including six goals, in 24 games. . . .


F Tyler Beechey (Edmonton/Kootenay, Calgary, 1997-2002) has signed a two-year contract with the Krefeld Pinguine (Germany, DEL). Last season, with the Schwenninger Wild Wings (Germany, DEL), he had 37 points, 12 of them goals, in 49 games.
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1. The Moose Jaw Warriors introduced Tim Hunter as their newest head coach on Thursday morning. Hunter, the 16th head coach in Warriors’ history, replaces Mike Stothers, who now is the head coach of the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs. . . . The 53-year-old Hunter, who has coaching experience as an NHL assistant with the Washington Capitals (1997-2002, 2012-13), San Jose Sharks (2002-08) and Toronto Maple Leafs (2008-11), has been living in Calgary, working for the Calgary Flames and the Flames Alumni. . . . The Calgary native played in the WHL with the Seattle Breakers (1977-80), before going to an 18-year pro career that included 815 NHL games. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that general manager Alan Millar “spoke to Hunter on the phone on multiple occasions and then flew to Vancouver Sunday to meet with him in person. The pair talked for more than three hours and that meeting left little doubt in Millar's mind that Hunter was the right man to replace Mike Stothers behind the Warriors bench.” . . . Millar told Goulie: "I felt that there was a connection in terms of philosophically how we want to play the game and what is important to us in managing and coaching a WHL team. But more importantly how we were going to treat our players and how we were going to care for them on and off the ice." . . . Hunter takes over a team that has missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons. . . . Gourlie’s story is right here.

2. The Vancouver Giants introduced Troy Ward as the fourth head coach in franchise history on Thursday morning. Ward, 52, takes over from Don Hay, who left after 10 seasons as head coach and now is the head coach of the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Ward, who is reported to have signed a three-year contract, spent the last three seasons as head coach of the Abbotsford Heat, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. . . . Ward is a native of St. Paul, Minn. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province has more right here.

3. There now is just one WHL team without a head coach. The Regina Pats are looking for a head coach and two assistant coaches. The franchise’s new owners fired head coach Malcolm Cameron last month, while assistant coaches Josh Dixon and Billy McGuigan resigned earlier in the month. . . . Here’s a look at the nine teams with new head coaches, showing team, new coach and previous coach:
Calgary Hitmen: Mark French, Mike Williamson.
Edmonton Oil Kings: Steve Hamilton, Derek Laxdal.
Kamloops Blazers: Don Hay, Guy Charron.
Kelowna Rockets: Dan Lambert, Ryan Huska.
Moose Jaw Warriors: Tim Hunter, Mike Stothers.
Portland Winterhawks: Jamie Kompon, Mike Johnston.
Saskatoon Blades: Bob Woods, Dave Struch.
Tri-City Americans: Mike Williamson, Jim Hiller.
Vancouver Giants: Troy Ward, Don Hay.
I still find it interesting that by the time Regina hires a head coach, there will have been 10 changes and only two teams -- Edmonton and Kelowna -- will have promoted form within.

4. As for the remainder of the teams, just in case you have forgotten, here’s a look at who their head coaches are:
Brandon Wheat Kings: Kelly McCrimmon (owner/GM/head coach).
Everett Silvertips: Kevin Constantine (preparing for second season in his reincarnation as head coach here).
Kootenay Ice: Ryan McGill (entering final year of three-year contract).
Lethbridge Hurricanes: Drake Berehowsky (entering second year of three-year contract).
Medicine Hat Tigers: Shaun Clouston (also GM).
Prince Albert Raiders: Cory Clouston (entering second year of two-year deal; club has option on a third year).
Prince George Cougars: Mark Holick (signed through 2017-18).
Red Deer Rebels: Brent Sutter (owner/GM/head coach).
Seattle Thunderbirds: Steve Konowalchuk (signed through 2017-18).
Spokane Chiefs: Don Nachbaur (signed through 2016-17).
Swift Current Broncos: Mark Lamb (also GM; entering last year of three-year contract).
Victoria Royals: Dave Lowry (preparing for third season).

5. The Vancouver Giants have extended their partnership with TEAM Radio through 2017-18. All regular-season and playoff games will be heard on TEAM 1040 and TEAM 1410. . . . TEAM Radio also is home to the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, the CFL’s BC Lions, the MLS’ Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the NWL’s Vancouver Canadians. . . . The Giants also announced that Brendan Batchelor will return for a second season as the play-by-play voice, alongside analyst Bill Wilms. Batchelor also has been named the club’s director of media relations.

6. The Everett Silvertips have signed F Bryce Kindopp, who was selected in the third round of the 2014 WHL bantam draft. The Silvertips made 15 selections in that draft; Kindopp is the first player to sign. . . . From Lloydminster, Alta., Kindopp helped his hometown Heat win the 2014 Alberta Major Bantam League championship. . . . In 33 regular-season games, Kindopp had 63 points, including 26 goals. He led the league’s playoff scoring derby with 16 goals and finished second in points, with 25. . . . Everett selected Heat captain Jantzen Leslie in the first round of the 2014 bantam draft. . . .

7. There isn’t much doubt which team D Dalton Yorke of the Kelowna Rockets was cheering for in Sunday’s World Cup final. Yorke, an 18-year-old from Maple Ridge, B.C., would have been solidly in Germany’s corner. Why? Because his sister, Montana, 21, is an item with German forward André Schürrle, who assisted on the winning goal, an extra-time score that gave his side a 1-0 victory over Argentina. . . . Jennifer Saltman of the Vancouver Province has more on the happy couple right here.

8. They’ll be talking hockey tonight at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert as the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame holds its 2014 induction ceremony. Included in the class of 2014 are Bruce Clements, Emile (The Cat) Francis, Johnny Gottselig, Wayne Kartusch, Brad McCrimmon, Jim Neilson, Brian Propp, Terry Simpson and Wes Smith. Also going in are the 1982 Prince Albert Raiders and the 1972 Rosetown Redwings. . . . The Prince Albert Daily Herald has more right here.
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NOT the Spokane River! #italia #venice pic.twitter.com/XgpJfx3iDg
— Don Nachbaur (@HCChiefs42) July 17, 2014

Group Shot from Good Spirit Lake. #Blessed to spend the day with @deeds71 Brecks and Tayn in the sun and sand. pic.twitter.com/uSX0bh7i0L
— Shaun Clouston (@cluey15) July 18, 2014

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