Ex-WHL coach dead at 47 . . . Bjorkstrand atop the scoring race . . . Golden Bears defend title

Apologies for the brief absence. We were away for a couple of days and there were Internet issues in the hotel in which we stayed. . . . So now to get caught up . . .
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F David Hruška (Red Deer, 1995-96) has signed a one-year extension with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga). This season, in 50 games, he had 12 goals and 15 assists. He also was an alternate captain.
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Dale Marquette, a former WHL player and coach, died on the weekend. He was 47. His ex-wife Lisa Norman has said: “Due to complications with his diabetes he slipped into a coma and passed away.” . . . Marquette was from Prince George. . . . He played four seasons (1984-88) in the WHL, the first two with the Lethbridge Broncos and the last two with the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Wheat Kings traded F Sheldon Kennedy to the Broncos, who were moving to Swift Current, in exchange for Marquette. . . . In his final season, he finished with 103 points, including 51 goals, in 62 games. . . . He was a 10th-round selection by the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL’s 1987 draft. . . . Later, he was the head coach of the Rocky Mountain Junior League’s Prince George Spruce Kings (1993-95), the WHL’s Prince George Cougars (1995-96) and the BCHL’s Quesnel Millionaires (2000-01).
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F Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Portland Winterhawks is the WHL’s scoring leader heading into the final week of regular-season play. Bjorkstrand had a goal and four assists in an 8-6 victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs on Sunday. He now leads the WHL in goals (57) and points (108). . . . F Trevor Cox of the Medicine Hat Tigers is second, with 105 points, with Brandon Wheat Kings Tim McGauley at 103. . . . The last WHLer to score 57 goals in one season was Portland F Ty Rattie (2011-12). The last Portland skater with more than 57 goals was F Lonny Bohonos, who scored 62 in 1993-94.
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G Coleman Vollrath of the Victoria Royals is riding a shutout streak of 129 minutes 31 seconds. That includes back-to-back shutouts of the Vancouver Giants. The franchise record for longest shutout streak is held by Matt Esposito (153:56) of the Chilliwack Bruins. The Victoria record is 139:04 and belongs to Patrik Polivka (2013-14). . . . Vollrath’s second shutout of the Giants was his sixth of the season and that set a Victoria/Chilliwack single-season record. For one day, Vollrath, 19, had shared the record with Lucas Gore (2009-10, 2010-11) and Polivka (2013-14).
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The Victoria Royals, who will finish second in the B.C. Division, will open the playoffs at home on March 27 and 28. The third-place team, either the Prince George Cougars or Kamloops Blazers, will provide the opposition.
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G Wyatt Hoflin of the Kootenay Ice set franchise records for victories and saves in one season on the weekend. He posted his 35th victory of this season on Saturday in Red Deer, breaking a record that he had shared with Dan Blackburn (1999-2000), Jeff Glass(2004-05) and Mackenzie Skapski (2012-13). . . . Hoflin broke the single-season saves record that had been set by Tim Winters in 1996-97, the Ice’s inaugural season. Hoflin broke that record in a game against visiting Medicine Hat in Friday. The previous record had been 1,724.
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The U of Alberta Golden Bears won their second straight CIS men’s hockey championship, and their 15th overall, as they beat the UNB Varsity Reds 6-3 in Halifax on Sunday. . . . Former WHLers Stephane Legault, Jordan Hickmott, Johnny Lazo, Kruise Reddick, Levko Koper and Jordan Rowley had Alberta’s goals. Dylan Willick had one of New Brunswick’s goals and was named the Varsity Reds’ player of the game. Koper got the same honour for the Golden Bears. . . . G Kurtis Mucha, another former WHLer, faced just nine shots in Alberta’s goal. . . . Reddick, Hickmott, Alberta D Jesse Craige and UNB F Cam Braes, all former WHLers, were named tournament all-stars.
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F Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings may be the best 16-year-old in the WHL this season. Of course, his father also played for the Wheat Kings. But there’s more to the Patrick family story than that. Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun has that story right here.
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The Prince Albert Raiders made their final visit to the Medicine Hat Arena on Sunday. Marc Habscheid, the Raiders’ head coach, has been there more than a few times, both as a player and a coach. On Sunday, he took time to remember. “I took time before the game to walk the concourse and there are a lot of great old pictures up (there),” he told Myles Fish of the Prince Albert Daily Herald. “We just wish this rink could talk because it could tell a lot of stories.”
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have lost two players to suspensions, both from incidents in a game at Calgary on Sunday. . . . D Kord Pankewicz will sit for two games after being hit with a match penalty. F Tyler Wong drew a one-game suspension for a slashing major and game misconduct. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks will finish first of second in the U.S. Division, meaning they will have home-ice advantage in the first round. They will open at Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, March 28. That game will begin at 6 p.m., thus avoiding a direct conflict with an NBA game that is to start at 7 p.m. The Winterhawks will play Game 2 of their series on March 29, 5 p.m., in the Moda Center. . . .
F Kailer Yamamoto scored twice as the Spokane Chiefs beat the visiting Tri-City Americans 5-2 on Saturday. Yamamoto has 22 goals, tying him with F Pat Falloon (1988-89) for most goals scored by a Chiefs’ 16-year-old. F Jason Podollan holds the franchise record, having scored 36 times in 1992-93. . . .
F Jansen Harkins of the Prince George Cougars set a Prince George franchise record for assists in a season when he got No. 59 in a 6-5 shootout victory over the host Portland Winterhawks on Saturday. The previous record had been held by F Quinn Hancock (1997-98). . . .
The Calgary Hitmen wrapped up their franchise-record 11-game road trip on Saturday with a 4-2 victory in Lethbridge. The Hitmen went 7-4-0 on the swing that was forced on them when the Tim Hortons Brier, the Canadian men’s curling championship, took over the Saddledome. . . . On Sunday, the Hitmen returned home and beat Lethbridge, 4-1. . . .
F Tim McGauley of the Brandon Wheat Kings had his 24-game point steak snapped in a 3-1 victory over the host Saskatoon Blades on Saturday. McGauley had 53 points, including 17 goals, in the 24 games. . . . Brandon F Morgan Klimchuk had his streak ended at 11 games in that same game. . . .
F Rourke Chartier returned to the Kelowna Rockets’ lineup on Saturday night, after an eight-game absence. He scored his 47th goal as the Rockets beat the visiting Kamloops Blazers, 2-1. . . .
The Prince Albert Raiders had their hopes of a playoff spot dashed on Saturday night when they dropped a 7-3 decision to the Broncos in Swift Current. . . . Raiders F Kris Schmidli returned from a 15-game absence in that game. . . .
The Swift Current Broncos ended a seven-game losing streak with two weekend victories over Prince Albert, losses that eliminated the Raiders from the playoff race. . . .
The Vancouver Giants snapped a nine-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Royals in Victoria on Sunday. The Giants now are four-points out of a playoff spot. If they are to make it, they need to sweep a weekend doubleheader from the Western Conference-leading Kelowna Rockets and also get some help.
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In a stunning move, linebacker Chris Borland, 24, has retired, ending his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers after one terrific season. He has told ESPN’s Outside the Lines that he is retiring in order to avoid further head trauma. "I just honestly want to do what's best for my health," Borland told Outside the Lines. "From what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk.” . . . The complete story is right here.
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THE WHL PLAYOFF PICTURE:

EAST DIVISION:
1. Brandon (3 games remaining) leads the overall standings by two points over Kelowna (3). The Wheaties last finished first overall in 1995-96. . . . The Wheat Kings will play the conference’s second wild-card team, likely Edmonton, in the first round. . . . In Regina tonight.
2. Regina (3) will finish second in division. Will meet third-place team in first round. . . . At home to Brandon tonight.
3. Swift Current (3) leads Moose Jaw by four points. . . . The Broncos can clinch third place with a victory in Moose Jaw tonight.
4. Moose Jaw (3) now is four points behind Swift Current. . . . Entertains Swift Current tonight and needs a victory to stay alive. Moose Jaw isn’t expected to have either F Jaimen Yakubowski or F Tanner Eberle in its lineup. As well, D Ryan Gardiner (hip) is day-to-day after going hard into the boards during a Saturday skate.
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CENTRAL DIVISION:
1. Calgary (3) completed a franchise-record 11-game road trip with a one-point lead over second-place Medicine Hat. . . . At home to Red Deer on Wednesday.
2. . Medicine Hat (3) trails Calgary by one point. Each team has 42 victories. . . . In Prince Albert tonight.
3. Red Deer (3) got to within one point of first place, but now is four points behind Medicine Hat and five in arrears of Calgary. . . . D Colton Bobyk returned to Red Deer’s lineup on Saturday after a 12-game absence. . . . In Calgary on Wednesday.
4. Kootenay (3) holds down the conference’s first wild-card spot, three points ahead of Edmonton. . . . In Lethbridge on Wednesday.
5. Edmonton (2) is in the second wild-card spot, three points behind Kootenay. . . . At home to Red Deer on Friday.
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B.C. DIVISION:
1. Kelowna (3) has clinched first place in the Western Conference. . . . Trails Brandon by two points in the race for first place in the overall standings. . . . At home to Seattle on Wednesday.
2. Victoria (2) will finish second and meet the division’s third-place team in the first round. . . . At home to Everett on Friday.
3. Prince George (3) is two points ahead of Kamloops. . . . All three of its remaining games are against Kamloops, starting Wednesday and Friday in Prince George.
4. Kamloops (3) has two playoff options. It is two points behind third-place Prince George in the division and is tied with Tri-City (4) for the conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Will meet Prince George three times this week — Wednesday and Friday in Prince George, and Saturday in Kamloops.
5. Vancouver (2) has one victory in its last 10 games and is hanging on by a hangnail It is four points out of the conference’s second wild-card spot but has only two games remaining, both against Kelowna. . . . At home to the Rockets on Friday.
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U.S. DIVISION:
1. Everett (3) leads the division by two points over Portland. . . . In Victoria on Friday.
2. Portland (4) is two points off the pace with a game in hand. . . . In Spokane on Wednesday as it closes with four games in five nights.
3. Seattle (4) trails Portland by 11 points so won’t finish second. . . . Is five points ahead of Spokane. . . . At home to Tri-City tonight.
4. Spokane (4) is five points behind Seattle and has clinched at least the conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . At home to Portland on Wednesday.
5. Tri-City (4) is tied with Kamloops for the conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Visits Seattle tonight.
(NOTE: If two teams tie for a conference’s last playoff spot, those teams will have a play-in game at the home of the team with the most victories. . . . For example, should Tri-City and Kamloops end up tied for the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, a play-in game will be played at the home of the team with the most victories. Tr-City leads, 29-27. . . . Should Prince George and Kamloops finish tied for third in the B.C. Division, the first tiebreaker is total victories. Prince George has a 29-27 edge.)
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IF THE WHL PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:

Eastern Conference
Brandon vs. Edmonton
Calgary vs. Kootenay
Regina vs. Swift Current
Medicine Hat vs. Red Deer
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Western Conference
Kelowna vs. Tri-City/Kamloops
Everett vs. Spokane
Victoria vs. Prince George
Portland vs. Seattle
(NOTE: Team with home-ice advantage shown first.)
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TUESDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Tri-City vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Medicine Hat at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES

No Games Scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Red Deer at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Regina, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Calgary vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Portland vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Lethbridge at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Regina at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Spokane vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Kootenay at Calgary, 2 p.m.
Tri-City at Portland, 5 p.m.
Everett at Spokane 5:05 p.m.
END OF REGULAR SEASON

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Oil Kings sign assistant coach . . . Clouston, Speltz to U-18 team

F Juraj Rožník (Swift Current, Regina, 2010-11) has signed a tryout contract with Dukla Trenčín (Slovakia, Extraliga). Last season, with Martin (Slovakia, Extraliga), he had 10 points, including six goals, in 41 games. . . .
F David Hruška (Red Deer, 1995-96) has signed a one-year contract with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga) after Karlovy Vary negotiated his release from Orli Znjomo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had 32 points, 18 of them goals, in 52 games. . . .
F Radek Duda (Regina, Lethbridge, 1998-2000) has signed a one-year contract with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Duda played last season with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga), leading the team in scoring with 41 points, including 17 goals, in 47 games. He was second in the league with 141 penalty minutes. . . .
F Grant Toulmin (Swift Current, 2005-07, 2008-09) has signed a one-year contract with Heilbronner Falken (Germany, DEL2). Last season, with Nipissing University (CIS) in North Bay, Ont., he had 38 points, including 16 goals, in 28 games. . . .
D Kalvin Sagert (Kamloops, Lethbridge, Prince George, 2002-08) has signed a one-year contract with Miskolci Jegesmedvék (Hungary, MOL-Liga). Last season, he had one assist in 11 games with the Wichita Thunder (CHL), 10 assists in 24 games with the San Francisco Bulls (ECHL), and a goal and three assists in 32 games with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL).
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1. Ryan Marsh has signed on with the Memorial Cup-champion Edmonton Oil Kings as an assistant coach. Marsh (Tri-City, 1992-95) played four seasons at the U of Alberta in Edmonton before going on to a brief pro career. He has been with Vimy Ridge Academy in Edmonton for 15 years, the past 10 as campus director. He also was an assistant coach with the U of Alberta Golden Bears. . . . The 39-year-old native of Quesnel, B.C., moves into the spot created when Steve Hamilton was promoted from assistant coach to head coach. Hamilton took over from Derek Laxdal, now the head coach of the AHL’s Texas Stars. . . . Sean Brown also is on the Oil Kings’ staff as an assistant coach.
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2. Shaun Clouston, the general manager and head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers, has been added to the coaching staff of the Canadian U-18 team that will play in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament next month. . . . Clouston replaces Eric Veilleux, who now is the head coach of the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals. . . . Clouston, 46, has been with the Tigers since 2003-04. He has been the head coach for four seasons and the GM for the past two. . . . At the same time, Tim Speltz, the general manager of the Spokane Chiefs, has been added to the Program of Excellence management group. Speltz, 56, replaces Mark Hunter, the GM of the OHL’s London Knights, who isn’t available for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial. Speltz has been the Chiefs’ GM since 1990. . . . Team Canada’s selection camp is scheduled for Calgary’s Markin MacPhail Centre, Aug. 2-5. There should be 44 players in attendance, with 22 of them going on to play for Canada. The tournament is to run Aug. 11-16 in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia.
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3. It’s hardly scientific and it’s a far cry from being official, but readers of this blog have spoken. Asked which of three teams should play host to the 2016 Memorial Cup, 47.9 per cent of respondents voted for the Red Deer Rebels. The Victoria Royals drew 34.1 per cent, with the Vancouver Giants at 17.9 per cent. . . . The 2016 Memorial Cup tournament is to be played in a WHL city; those three teams have said they will be involved in the bidding. . . . The Memorial Cup hasn’t been decided in Alberta since 1974 when the Regina Pats won it in the Calgary Corral.
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4. F Tim Bozon of the Kootenay Ice, who spent March in a Saskatoon hospital battling Neisseria meningitis, is preparing to play in a competitive game for the first time since Feb. 28. Bozon, 20, will play for France’s U-23 team at a tournament in Ostrava, Czech Republic, next week. . . . Tal Pinchevsky of nhl.com has more right here.
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5. Earlier in the week, Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada posted his final 30 Thoughts of the season, which means 2013-14 finally is over. Because it was his last post for the season, Friedman actually had at least 54 thoughts. . . . It’s all right here.
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6. So there’s this beer league in Buffalo . . . it’s the Performax Hockey League. And when the guys got together the other night, they had a visitor. This guy lit it up for five goals. He also had five assists. Patrick Kane. You may have heard of him. . . . There’s more right here, including a great post-game tweet.
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7. Running back Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens has been suspended for, uhh, two games for precipitating an incident of domestic abuse. The disciplinary move has come in for considerable criticism, none of it any harsher than this column right here by Michael Powell of The New York Times.
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Alan Caldwell, over at Small Thoughts at Large, tweeted this on Thursday: “The annual WHL prospects postings are coming to the blog soon, likely starting later today.” You will find them on his blog and there’s a link over there on the right. . . . Former Portand Winterhawks D Brad Symes has died in his hometown of Edmonton, where he was a firefighter. He was 38. There is more right here. . . . The Simon Fraser U men’s hockey team will play exhibition road games against the Bowling Green Falcons on Oct. 4 and the Miami U RedHawks on Oct. 5. Those games are scheduled for Bowling Green, Ohio, and Oxford, Ohio.
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Flights delayed cause the president wants to fly home out of LAX.. Your world we're just living in it #ThanksObama
— Mitch Callahan (@Mcally15) July 24, 2014

Looks like I will be wearing black and green next year at U of S! #huskies
— Jordon Cooke (@jordoncooke30) July 25, 2014

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.

Blazers, Chiefs sign prospects

 F David Hruška (Red Deer, 1995-96) has signed a one-year contract with Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga). This season, in 52 games with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he led the team in goals (18),  assists (14) and points (32). . . .
D Jesse Dudas (Lethbridge, Prince George, Swift Current, Regina, 2003-09) has signed a one-year contract with Miskolci Jegesmedvék (Hungary, MOL Liga). This season, Dudas played for the Wichita Thunder (CHL), putting up 38 points, including 14 goals, in 54 games.
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D Nolan Kneen, the third overall selection in the 2014 WHL bantam draft, has signed with the Kamloops Blazers. Kneen, from North Vancouver, played with the bantam AAA North Shore Winter Club Winterhawks, putting up 60 points, including 22 goals, in 69 games. He is expected to play next season with the major midget Okanagan Rockets, who are based in Kelowna.
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The Spokane Chiefs have signed 1998-born F Kailer Yamamoto, the younger brother of Keanu, a forward who just completed his freshman season. According to a Chiefs’ news release, “They will become the first pair of Spokane-native siblings to play for the local club at the same time.” . . . Kailer was a fifth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. He had 40 points, 17 of them goals, in 34 games with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings this season. . . . Keanu finished his freshman season with 25 points, including 11 goals, in 57 games, but 15 of those points came in the final two months of the season.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Kevin Flather is the new head coach of the junior B Port Moody Panthers of the Pacific Junior Hockey League. He spent this season as the general manager and head coach of the junior B Grand Forks Border Bruins of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Flather actually took over the Bruins in October and guided them to their best record in nine seasons. Flather, a 27-year-old native of Surrey, B.C., owns and operates Precision Hockey Development. . . . Over time, Flather also has worked closely with Ron Johnson, who has signed on with the Panthers as their director of hockey development. Johnson is the founder, owner and technical director of Elite Hockey Shooters, focusing primarily on skill mechanics and offensive tactics for hockey players of all ages and levels. Johnson, 56, was a long-time coach, but chose to retire in 2013 after 38 years of it. . . . The Panthers relocated from Port Coquitlam in 2006. . . . The Panthers went 10-30-2-2 this season and finished last in the Harold Brittain Conference for a second straight season.
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Kevin Higo is the new head coach of the AJHL’s Grande Prairie Storm. He spent this season coaching the Elite 15 team at the Edge School in Calgary. But he has coaching experience in the AJHL with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons, Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves and Brook Bandits. He also has worked as an assistant coach with the WHL‘s Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . With the Storm, Higo takes over from Matt Hughes, who was fired on May 2.
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Tyson Ramsey is the new head coach of the midget AAA Brandon Wheat Kings. He takes over from Ken Schneider, who stepped aside after this season. Ramsey had been an assistant coach on Schneider’s staff.
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MEMORIAL CUP
(at London, Ont., all times Eastern)
(all games televised by Sportsnet)
Friday: Val-d’Or vs. London, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Guelph vs. Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Sunday: London vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Monday: Guelph vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Edmonton vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: London vs. Guelph, 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 22: Tiebreaker, if necessary, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 23: Semifinal, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 24: No game scheduled.
Sunday, May 25: Final, TBA.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F David Hruska (Red Deer, 1995-96) signed a one-year contract extension with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had 22 goals and 17 assists in 49 games with Chomutov this season.
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Something extra from The MacBeth Report:
Game 5 of Finland’s Sm-Liiga final, Ässät Pori at Tappara Tampere. Series is tied 2-2 and has been a"homer" series. Each team trade goals in the second period and that is how it ends in regulation, 1-1. Shots were 34-28 Ässät in regulation.


Apparently, Ässät was just getting started with the shooting gallery.
The first overtime period is scoreless with Ässät getting two power-plays and Tappara one, but Ässät decided to crank it up as the shots were 20-4 Ässät.
In the second overtime, Tappara had two power-play opportunities but was unable to connect on either one, so we head into the third overtime period.

Tappara got a few more shots on goal in the second overtime but was still outshot 21-11 by Ässät. Ässät got a power-play early in the third overtime. Tappara killed it off, but Ässät scored at 8:59, just
six seconds after the power-play ended, to win the game and take a 3-2 lead home to Pori for Wednesday's Game 6.
The shots in the third OT were 11-5 Ässät. Total shots on goal in the 49 minutes of OT were 52-20 Ässät; 86-48 Assat for the game.
The Tappara goalie making the 84 saves was former Lethbridge Hurricanes G Juha Metsola (2007-09).
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Former WHL coach Curtis Hunt helped Canada win gold at the world men’s sledge hockey championship in Goyang, South Korea, last week. And he had a “fantastic” time doing it. . . . Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader-Post has that story right here.
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The Victoria Times Colonist and Nanaimo Daily News are reporting that WHL commissioner Ron Robison addressed “an in-camera meeting of Nanaimo city council Monday.” . . . Graham Lee, who owns the WHL’s Victoria Royals and whose company, RG Properties, manages Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria and Prospera Place in Kelowna, and Ken Wagner, one of the owners of the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, also were in the meeting. . . . After the session, Robison told the newspapers: “It is up to Nanaimo council to see if it wants to proceed. We left it for them to determine.” . . . According to the Times Colonist, “Robison said the WHL would not expand but that an existing team would be relocated to Nanaimo. He did not specify which team that could be.” . . . The problem of course, is the lack of a WHL-calibre facility in Nanaimo. It is no secret that this is a case of ‘Build It and They Will Come’ — if Nanaimo had a 5,000-seat arena, it already would have a WHL franchise.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Brampton Beast, a Central league team that will begin operations next season, has hired Mark DeSantis as its head coach. . . . DeSantis spent this season as head coach of the Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional  League. . . . DeSantis, who was honoured as the SPHL’s coach of the year this season, is from Brampton. . . .

Barry Wolff is the new head coach of the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express. Wolff spent this season has head coach of the junior B Fernie Ghostriders of the Kootenay International Junior League. He was the KIJHL’s coach of the year after going 35-13-1-3. . . . He also has coached in the BCHL, with the now-defunct Quesnel Millionaires and Surrey Eagles. . . . With Coquitlam, Wolff replaces Jon Calvano, who was dropped after the season despite having a year left on his contract.
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The Eastern Conference final resumes in Calgary tonight with the Hitmen and Edmonton Oil Kings even at 1-1. . . . The Hitmen almost certainly will be without F Jake Virtanen. The first overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft was hit was one of those ‘tbd’ suspensions for a hit on Edmonton D Cody Corbett at 5:43 of the second period in Game 2 on Friday. Corbett didn’t return to the game after the hit. . . . Corbett is expected to miss at least Games 3 and 4. . . . The Oil Kings are expected to get D Dysin May bacvk into the linup tonight. . . . Virtanen has six points, two of them goals, in 12 playoff games this spring.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
(Series tied 1-1; Game 3 tonight in Calgary; all games on Shaw TV, with Dan Russell calling the play.)
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Portland leads series, 2-0; Game 3 tonight in Kamloops.)
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MONDAY’S GAMES:
No Games Scheduled.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (19):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (6):
None


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Chris St. Jacques (Medicine Hat, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract extension with the Bietigheim Steelers (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had 16 goals and 24 assists in 41 games for the Steelers this season. . . .
Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga), who won promotion to the Czech Extraliga from 1.Liga last month, announced the signings of F Karel Hromas (Everett, 2004-06), F David Hruska (Red Deer, 1995-96), D Brett Palin (Kelowna, 2000-05) and D Lukas Pulpan (Vancouver, 2003-04) to one-year contract extensions. Hromas had seven goals and six assists in 44 games, Hruska had 27 goals and 28 assists in 52 games, Palin had six goals and 12 assists in 51 games, and Pulpan had five goals and 21 assists in 31 games this season. . . .
F Rick Girard (Swift Current, 1990-94) signed a one-year contract extension with Ingolstadt (Germany, DEL). Girard, who has played the last 14 seasons in the DEL, had 11 goals and 17 assists in 49 games this season. . . .
F Jozef Balej (Portland, 1999-2002) signed a one-year contract with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Balej started the season with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, Extraliga), where he had five goals and six assists in 20 games. He then moved to Kometa Brno (Czech Republic, Extraliga), where he had two goals and three assists in 25 games. . . .
Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL) signed F Milan Bartovic (Brandon, Tri-City, 1999-2001) and F Mario Bliznak (Vancouver, 2005-08) to two-year contracts. Bartovic had 16 goals and 14 assists in 37 games for Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga) while Bliznak had 11 goals and 18 assists in 52 games for Sparta Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .
The KHL is undergoing some changes for next season. Slovan Bratislava and Donbass Donetsk (Ukraine) are joining the KHL as "expansion" teams, Slovan from the Slovak Extraliga and Donbass from the Russian Vysshaya Liga. Lev Poprad (Slovakia) is moving to Prague (Czech Republic), already home to two teams in the Czech Republic Extraliga (Sparta and Slavia); and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl returns after the horrific plane crash at the start of this season. Lokomotiv announced that Carolina Hurricanes pro scout Tom Rowe will be its head coach next season. Rowe coached in Carolina’s system for four seasons, then spent three as an assistant with the Hurricanes before serving as a pro scout this season. . . .
In case anyone was wondering about the ticket prices in the KHL, Slovan is advertising season tickets for next season. The prices range from 209 Euros to 249 Euros ($272 to $325 Canadian) for existing season-ticket holders, and 249 Euros to 299 Euros ($325 to $390 Canadian) for new season-ticket holders. This includes 30 KHL regular-season home games and five or six home preseason games. Compare to your favourite NHL team's prices and discuss amongst yourselves.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jon Rogger is the new head coach of the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers. He is an assistant coach with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers and will finish the season with them before joining the Bucs. Rogger, 34, has been with the Gamblers for four seasons. . . . The Buccaneers went 20-33-7, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Rogger replaces Graham Johnson, an assistant coach who replaced head coach Regg Simon, who was fired on March 27. . . .
The OHL’s Soo Greyhounds have announced that assistant coach Nick Warriner, 31, won’t have his contract renewed. He had been with the ’Hounds through four seasons. . . . Mike Stapleton is the Soo’s head coach. . . .
Dave Hakstol, the head coach at the U of North Dakota, announced Thursday that Cary Eades, the associate head coach, won’t be returning. Eades, whose contract is up and won’t be renewed, had been with UND for eight seasons. He had been the associate coach for six seasons. He also played four seasons at UND and coached under head coach Gino Gasparini for seven seasons.
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For complete bantam draft coverage — and I do mean complete — go to Alan Caldwell’s blog Small Thoughts at Large. There’s a link over there on the right.
For a look at the draft’s impact on NCAA schools, you may want to take a look at this piece from the Western College Hockey Blog. There is even a shot in there at Bruce Hamilton, the owner and GM of the Kelowna Rockets.
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The Saskatoon Blades entered Memorial Cup mode in a big way on Thursday as the WHL held its annual bantam draft in Calgary.
The Blades are the host team for the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament and GM/head coach Lorne Molleken added some experience to his roster with some draft-day deals.
Molleken acquired F Shane McColgan, 19, F Jessey Astles, 19, and a conditional 2014 third-round bantam pick from the Kelowna Rockets for F Ryan Olsen, 18, and second- and fifth-round selections in yesterday’s draft.
The Blades also added F Brenden Walker, 20, from the Brandon Wheat Kings for 2012 and 2013 second-round bantam picks and a third-rounder in 2014. The Blades also gave Brandon an option to switch 2014 first-round selections.
McColgan, from Manhattan Beach, Calif., was a fifth-round pick by the New York Rangers in the NHL’s 2011 draft. He had 64 points in 70 games last season but never really blossomed into the dynamic performer the Rockets had hoped for when they grabbed him 13th overall in the 2008 bantam draft. He had 69 points in his freshmen season and 66 in 2010-11.
“To be honest, the trade wasn’t surprising,” McColgan told Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier. “It was either between Saskatoon or Portland, and it was Saskatoon and I’m happy it was because they have the Memorial Cup.
“This, hopefully, being my last season of junior hockey, I want to win a Memorial Cup, and going to Saskatoon will be my best chance. I’m looking forward to going there in August.”
McColgan was with the Rockets at the 2007 Memorial Cup in Rimouski, Que., but was a healthy scratch for all four games.
The conditional third-round pick is contingent on whether McColgan returns for his 20-year-old season.
Astles, a sixth-round pick by Kelowna in 2008, has been hampered by concussion problems. He had seven points and 84 penalty minutes in 42 games this season.
Walker, a veteran of three seasons with Brandon, had 81 points, including 26 goals, in 68 games this season.
Walker is the fourth 20-year-old on Saskatoon’s roster, joining F Chris Collins, F Josh Nicholls and D Connor Cox.
With Walker gone, Brandon’s roster shows six 20-year-olds – F Mark Stone, F Dominick Favreau, F Michael Ferland, F Kevin Sundher, D Ryley Miller and G Brandon Anderson. However, Stone (Ottawa Senators), Ferland (Calgary Flames), Sundher (Buffalo Sabres) and Anderson (Washington Capitals) all may play professionally next season.
Kelowna, meanwhile, picks up Olsen, who had 32 points, 15 of them goals, this season, his second with the Blades. He was the 20th overall selection in the 2009 bantam draft.
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The Prince George Cougars acquired F Jari Ericcson, 18, from the Everett Silvertips in a deal that involved the swapping of first-round bantam draft picks.
Ericcson, who is from Prince George, had 19 points, including six goals, in 69 games with the Silvertips this season.
The Cougars surrendered F Jujhar Khaira, 18, along with the 11th pick in yesterday’s draft and a 2012 third-rounder for Ericcson, the seventh overall selection and a conditional fourth-round pick.
The conditional pick will be tied into whether Khaira reports to Everett. From Surrey, B.C., Khaira had 79 points in 54 games with the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings this season. He has committed to Michigan Tech, and is likely to be picked in June’s NHL draft.
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Eric Comrie, the 13th overall selection in the 2010 bantam draft, will be the Tri-City Americans’ starting goaltender when next season arrives.
That picture became clear Thursday when the Americans dealt G Ty Rimmer, 20, to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a 2013 second-round bantam draft pick and a third-rounder in 2014.
Rimmer, a 14th-round selection by the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2007, was acquired a year ago from the Prince George Cougars in exchange for G Drew Owsley, who now has used up his junior eligibility.
Rimmer got into 46 games with the Americans, going 31-12-2. He led the WHL in GAA (2.43) and save percentage (.922), resulting in his being named the Western Conference’s top goaltender and to the conference’s first all-star team.
Rimmer’s departure leaves the Americans with seven 20-year-olds on their roster – F Justin Feser, F Patrick Holland, F Jordan Messier, F Jesse Mychan, F Nathan MacMaster, D Drydn Dow and D Derek Ryckman.
The Hurricanes now have six 20-year-olds on their roster – Rimmer, along with F Nick Buonassisi, F Graham Hood, D Tyler Kizuik, D Daniel Johnston and D Landon Oslanski.
Comrie was the 13th overall selection in the 2010 bantam draft. He played in 31 games this season, going 19-6-2, 2.67, .900.
Yesterday, the Americans used a third-round selection, 61st overall, on Comrie’s brother Ty, a 5-foot-10, 140-pound centre from the major bantam Los Angeles Selects.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors traded G Luke Siemens, 20, to the Prince Albert Raiders for a 2012 fourth-round bantam draft pick and a third-rounder in 2013.
Siemens was acquired by Moose Jaw from the Everett Silvertips as this season began. He went 35-14-5, 2.56, .907 as the Warriors won the East Division. Siemens then helped the Warriors reach the Eastern Conference final.
Siemens had an interesting season in Moose Jaw. Despite putting up 35 victories, he sat out three games in January as head coach Mike Stothers said his goaltender needed to re-focus.
Siemens started the Warriors’ first 12 playoff games, but was on the bench for the last two as Stothers turned to Justin Paulic, 16, who had played in one regular-season game.
The Warriors also dealt D Dallas Ehrhardt, 20, to the Prince George Cougars for D Reid Jackson, 19, and a 2013 seventh-round bantam draft pick.
Ehrhardt had 22 points and 78 penalty minutes in 67 games this season. He was a fourth-round selection by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2007 bantam draft.
Jackson, the son of long-time NHL scout and former WHL coach Les Jackson, had 12 points in 48 games with the Cougars after coming over from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He had one assist in seven games with the Hurricanes, with whom he played the two previous seasons.
The Warriors still show six 20-year-olds on their roster – F Justin Kirsch, F Cody Beach, F Quinton Howden, F Eric Arnold, D Kendall McFaull and D Dylan McIlrath – but five of those may be moving on.
Beach (St. Louis Blues), Howden (Florida Panthers), McFaull (Winnipeg Jets) and McIlrath (New York Rangers) could play pro next season. Arnold has signed with a pro team in his native Switzerland.
The Cougars now have seven 20-year-olds on their roster – F Jaroslav Vlach, F Greg Fraser, F Brock Hirsche, F Campbell Elynuik, D Daniel Gibb and D Ricard Blidstrand. Vlach and Blidstrand, as imports, aren’t likely to return as they would be two-spotters.
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The Everett Silvertips dealt F Jordyn Boyd, 18, to the Kootenay Ice for a fifth-round pick in yesterday’s bantam draft.
Boyd, a sixth-round pick in the 2010 draft, had 11 points and 26 penalty minutes in 53 games as a freshman with Everett this season.
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In one of the more interesting selections in the bantam draft, the Portland Winterhawks used the 64th pick on D Caleb Jones, who played bantam this season in Texas.
The Winterhawks, of course, acquired the right to speak with D Seth Jones, Caleb’s older brother, from the Everett Silvertips the other day.
While Seth is expected to be an early NHL draft pick in 2013, Caleb is said to be growing into a fine player himself.
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The Vancouver Giants have cut a two-year broadcast deal with Team Radio, which means games will be heard on two stations (Team 1040 and Team 1410). They have been on AM 650.
Team Radio also holds the rights to games involving the Vancouver Canucks, B.C. Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps.
Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that “Giants VP of operations Peter Toigo says that the plan is to have games that don’t conflict with the Vancouver Canucks’ broadcasts on Team 1040, and ones that do move to Team 1410.”
As well, Ewen reports that “in the event of a multi-game tie-up, there could be Giants’ games that are joined in progress or internet only.”
The Giants also are looking for a new voice as they dropped Dan Elliott after the season. He had been their play-by-play voice and media relations man for two seasons.
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Mitch Kirkup, a former WHL on-ice official, hasn’t been the same since he was attacked following a rec game in Winnipeg in June. In fact, he hasn’t officiated since the incident. And now the attacker is going to jail. . . . Kirkup has stayed involved in hockey as he now scouts for the Spokane Chiefs.
Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press has that story right here.
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Here is how David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail began a story that appeared on the newspaper’s website last night:
Eliminating fighting and head shots from hockey is simply a matter of common sense, according to Charles Tator, the renowned concussion doctor.
“We have no treatment for concussions, we have no treatment for the accumulative concussion, we have no treatment for the repetitive concussion, and it is the repetitive concussion that causes brain damage,” Tator said Thursday night during a panel discussion about hockey fights at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. “Let’s get head shots out of hockey.”
That story is right here.
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THE WHL FINAL:
Game 1 . . .
In Edmonton, G Laurent Brossoit stopped 24 shots as the Oil Kings opened the series for the Ed Chynoweth Cup with a 3-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Game 2 is scheduled for tonight in Edmonton. . . . F Rhett Rachinski got Edmonton on the board at 1:25 of the first period. Second-period goals by D Martin Gernat at 4:59 and F Jordan Peddle (shorthanded) at 14:30 gave the home team a 3-0 lead. . . . Portland F Marcel Noebels scored on the PP just 12 seconds after Peddle’s goal. . . . Portland F Sven Baertschi got his club to within one at 16:39 of the second. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 26 shots. . . . Portland was 1-3 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-5. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie left the game at 4:22 of the third period after absorbing a hit from Edmonton F Mitch Moroz. Rattie, who fell awkwardly and hit his head on the ice, is believed to have had two concussions this season. . . . Portland then moved F Nic Petan into Rattie’s spot alongside Baertschi and Noebels. . . . Attendance was 7,466.
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If you are wondering, club seats in Edmonton are going for $42.50, with side seating at $32.50 and end seats at $29.50. The cheapest seat available if buying through Ticketmaster was $31.50, including service fees. . . . Someone who was there tells me that ticket prices were “the talk of the press box.” . . . . And you thought junior hockey tickets were priced for family entertainment!
In Portland, there are tickets available at $48.25 (front row), $24 (club), $24 (100 level) and $19.50 (200 level). There also are family packages available with tickets at $9 and $13.
The OHL final features the London Knights and Niagara IceDogs. . . . Tickets to IceDogs’ home games will set you back $25 (premium), $24 (ends) or $20 (standing room) and that includes HST. . . . I didn’t have the patience to sit at a computer and try to access Knights’ ticket prices, but the one I did see was $41.75.
In the QMJHL final, it’s the Rimouski Oceanic and the Saint John Sea Dogs. In Saint John, a lower bowl ticket will cost you $21.50 and it’s $19.50 in the upper bowl. The prices are $20.50 and $18.50 for seniors and students, and $15 and $13 for youths. . . . I wasn’t able to find ticket prices for Oceanic home games.
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Here is the schedule for the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup (all times local):
Thursday, May 3: Portland 2 at Edmonton 3 (7,466)
Friday, May 4: at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 6: at Portland (Rose Garden), 6 p.m.
Tuesday, May 8: at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Thursday, May 10: at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, May 12: at Portland (Rose Garden), 6 p.m.
x-Sunday, May 13: at Edmonton, 6 p.m.

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