No coaching changes appear imminent . . . Blades staff back for sure . . . Lawsuit moves to Toronto

F Jakub Rumpel (Medicine Hat, 2006-07) has signed a one-year extension with Preussen Berlin (Germany, Oberliga). This season, he had eight goals and 15 assists in 12 games. He started the season on a tryout with Schönheide (Germany, Oberliga). He had a goal and two assists in four games, then was released on Nov. 23. He signed with Preussen on Jan. 20. . . .

F Jan Eberle (Seattle, 2006-08) has signed a one-year extension with Olomouc (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had seven goals and 10 assists in 51 games this season.

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#WHL @WHLPats (353) and @tigershockey (350) are League's first teams to have 350+ goals in a season since Brandon (369) in 1995-1996.

— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) March 21, 2017

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Here’s a look at the 22 WHL head coaches who have more than 300 regular-season victories to their credit (following 2016-17):

1. Ken Hodge (Edmonton, Portland), 742

2. Don Hay (Kamloops, Tri-City, Vancouver) 720

3. Don Nachbaur (Seattle, Tri-City, Spokane) 692

4. Lorne Molleken (Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Regina) 626

5. Ernie McLean (Estevan, New Westminster) 548

6. Mike Williamson (Portland, Calgary, Tri-City) 534

7. Pat Ginnell (Flin Flon, Victoria, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, New Westminster) 518

8. Peter Anholt (Prince Albert, Seattle, Red Deer, Kelowna, Lethbridge) 466

    Jack Shupe (Medicine Hat, Victoria) 466

10. Dean Clark (Calgary, Brandon, Kamloops, Prince George) 465

11. Kelly McCrimmon (Brandon) 456

12. Bob Lowes (Seattle, Brandon, Regina) 453

13. Brent Sutter (Red Deer) 441

14. Marc Habscheid (Kamloops, Kelowna, Chilliwack, Victoria, Prince Albert) 424

15. Doug Sauter (Calgary, Medicine Hat, Regina, Brandon) 417

16. Marcel Comeau (Calgary, Saskatoon, Tacoma, Kelowna) 411

17. Bryan Maxwell (Medicine Hat, Spokane, Lethbridge) 397

18. Graham James (Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Calgary) 349

19. Bob Loucks (Lethbridge, Tri-City, Medicine Hat) 340

20. Willie Desjardins (Saskatoon, Medicine Hat) 333

21. Kevin Constantine (Everett) 326

22. Shaun Clouston, Medicine Hat 320

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#WHL Kootenay is first in "Internet Era" to suffer from 10 overtime losses in a single season.  RD and EVT were at 9, most since SEA in 2004

— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) March 21, 2017

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Colin Priestner, the general manager of the Saskatoon Blades, says the team’s coaching staff will be back for another go-round next season.

When Taking Note queried Priestner on that subject, he quickly responded: “For sure. They did an

unbelievable job.”

Dean Brockman was in his first season as head coach, after spending two seasons working with Bob Woods, the previous head coach, who now is an assistant with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Bryce Thoma and Ryan Keller completed their first seasons as Saskatoon’s assistant coaches. Of course, Jerome Engele, the other assistant coach, is a Blades lifer.

The Blades have yet to appear in the postseason during the Priestner era. Mike Priestner, who is based in Edmonton, purchased the team prior to the 2013-14 season. The Blades had been the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup tournament.

This season, they dealt with a number of long-term injuries, but were in the playoff chase right to the final weekend.

Meanwhile, Steve Ewen of Postmedia points out that “Jason McKee is the longest-serving (head) coach that the Vancouver Giants have had among the past four bench bosses. He’s lasted an entire season.”

The Giants missed the playoffs in McKee’s first season behind their bench, but they went all-in for the future at the trade deadline and also paid the price when F Tyler Benson and D Darian Skeoch, two key performers, had their seasons cut short by injuries.

Vancouver is on the outside looking in for a third straight season, and the fourth time in five springs, 

Still, as Ewen writes, “By all accounts, owner Ron Toigo is bringing back McKee, 37, and general manager Glen Hanlon, 60, for a second season. There’s a calm. They need to capitalize on that.”

Ewen’s piece is right here.

McKee has two seasons left on his contract.

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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.

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#WHL @EdmOilKings sets new @TheWHL record for most wins in overtime with 11, passing '04-05 BDN, '89-'90 POR (9),  47.8% of wins came in OT.

— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) March 21, 2017

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The Spokane Chiefs joined the Vancouver Giants as the other Western Conference team not to make the playoffs. Don Nachbaur, the Chiefs’ head coach and the third-winningest coach in WHL regular-season history, has one season left on his contract.

In the Eastern Conference, the other non-playoff teams are the Edmonton Oil Kings, Kootenay Ice and Prince Albert Raiders.

Steve Hamilton, the Oil Kings’ head coach, signed what was announced as a “multi-year” deal in July 2014, and you would think he isn’t going anywhere. He spent four seasons as an assistant under Derek Laxdal and moved up when Laxdal left for a job with the AHL’s Texas Stars. Hamilton has Oil Kings bloodlines — his father, Al, is a former team captain who also captained the Oilers. The Oil Kings committed to a rebuild when they dealt D Aaron Irving and F Lane Bauer, two key 20-year-olds, at the deadline.

The future of Luke Pierce, who has completed two seasons as head coach of the Kootenay Ice, may hinge on what appears to be the impending sale of the franchise. Pierce signed a three-year contract, so has a year left on his deal. The Ice went young two seasons ago and has paid a steep price, going 26-99-19 during Pierce’s stint in Cranbrook.

In Prince Albert, veteran WHL coach Marc Habscheid has a contract that runs through 2018-19. He took over from the fired Cory Clouston on Nov. 1, 2014.

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#WHL 5 players (Wong, Steenbergen, Steel, Halbgewachs, Phillips) record 50+ goals this season, most in League since 1997-1998 (8).

— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) March 21, 2017

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Rick Westhead, a senior reporter with TSN, has filed his latest piece on the proposed class-action lawsuits that more than 400 present and former major junior players have filed. The lawyers were in a Calgary courtroom last month and, while there hasn’t been a decision rendered from there just yet, the scene now has shifted to Toronto.

“The Ontario Hockey League says its teams may have to pare back their drug education, anti-doping, concussion management, and medical and dental programs if the league loses a minimum-wage lawsuit, according to a new court filing,” Westhead writes.

“The OHL made the claims days before it appears in Ontario Superior Court on Tuesday to begin a hearing into whether a lawsuit filed against the league by former players should be certified as a class action.”

According to a rebuttal filed by the plaintiffs: “. . . The vast majority of the benefits which the defendants claim are threatened are not true player benefits. It would be impossible for the league to operate without coaches, away games, billeting, equipment, etc. Accordingly, the likelihood of these ‘benefits’ being cut is virtually nil.”

Westhead’s latest story is right here.

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MONDAY-THURSDAY GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

——

FRIDAY GAMES (all times local):

(Game 1, best-of-seven series)

Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.

Calgary at Regina, 7 p.m.

Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Victoria at Everett, 7:35 p.m.

Tri-City vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.

Portland at Prince George, 7 p.m.

——

SATURDAY GAMES (all times local):

(Game 2, best-of-seven series)

Red Deer at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.

Calgary at Regina, 7 p.m.

Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Tri-City vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Portland at Prince George, 7 p.m.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

The NHL draft . . . Rathjen on move . . . Blades hire assistant coach

F Codey Burki (Brandon, 2002-07) has signed a one-year contract with Olten (Switzerland, NL B). Last season, with Lausanne (Switzerland, NL A), he had three points, including one goal, in 30 games. He has dual Canadian-Swiss citizenship, so doesn’t count as import. . . .
F Brett Sonne (Calgary, 2004-09) has signed a one-year contract with Mora (Sweden, Allsvenskan). Last season, with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had 30 points, seven of them goals, in 43 games. . . .
D Tyson Marsh (Vancouver, 2001-05) has signed a one-year extension with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). Last season, in 63 games, he had 41 points, including nine goals, and was a second-team all-star. . . .
G Kristofer Westblom (Kelowna, 2004-08) has signed a one-year contract with Gap (France, Ligue Magnus). Last season, with the Brampton Beast (CHL), he was 3.22 and .903 in 41 games.
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THE NHL DRAFT (aka Mostly White Men in Suits):
Sorry, but there is no way I was going to sit down and watch the draft live. Not a chance. All that talk and all those commercials. And all those Mostly White Men in Suits with more White Men in Suits reporting from the floor and doing the interviewing.
So . . . let’s go to the PVR, with ample use of the FF button.
Keeping in mind that this is Philadelphia where football fans once booed Santa Claus, the reception given NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is rather epic. I mean, there’s booing and then there’s this. . . . Give Bettman credit, though. He gets booed everywhere and he keeps coming back for more.
Vancouver comic Torben Rolfsen (‏@vanguy) offered this up via Twitter: “The Wells Fargo Center crowd has just been nominated for a special Grammy award for its booing of Gary Bettman.”
First off, you have to like what the Vancouver Canucks did on Friday. They got F Ryan Kesler out of the room, sending him to the Anaheim Ducks, and brought in F Nick Bonino, who will be among their top six forwards for a few seasons, and D Luca Sbisa, who will surprise if given the opportunity to play on a regular basis. Vancouver also picked up a first-round pick (No. 24) in this draft. . . . And that doesn’t take into account the trading of D Jason Garrison, who doesn’t skate well enough to fit into what Vancouver’s braintrust is trying to do here, to the Tampa Bay Lightning, or the acquisition of pain-in-the-butt F Derek Dorsett, who played for new head coach Willie Desjardins in Medicine Hat, from the New York Rangers. (In Dorsett, the Canucks finally have an answer to F Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins.)
OK . . . here we go.
1. The Florida Panthers have the first selection. They have eight men in suits (MIS) on the stage. They take D Aaron Ekblad from the OHL's Barrie Colts. If you want to win the Stanley Cup, you have to have a stud defenceman.
2. The Buffalo Sabres are up. It‘s Tim Murray’s first pick as GM. He is the first of a number of GMs who get to the podium and announce their pick. No thanking anyone. No congratulating anyone. Just the pick. The Sabres take Kootenay Ice F Sam Reinhart, who might have the best hockey IQ in the draft. . . . The Sabres have seven MIS.
3. The Edmonton Oilers add to their stable of young forwards with German F Leon Draisaitl of the Prince Albert Raiders. No surprise here. . . . The stage holds five MIS, including owner Daryl Katz. Also there his son, Harrison, wearing an Oilers jersey (No. 14) and sporting the draft’s best hair, even better than his father’s. Harrison also is bigger than most of Friday’s draftees.
4. The Calgary Flames take F Sam Bennett from the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. Already he is being compared to the retired Doug Gilmour, who is the GM in Kingston. . . . The Flames have eight MIS on stage, and that includes Brian Burke, their president of hockey operations, and his hair.
5. The New York Islanders, with seven MIS, use their first pick on F Michael Dal Colle of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. They later will trade back into the first round.
6. The Vancouver Canucks take F Jake Virtanen from the Calgary Hitmen. That is the second year in a row that the Canucks, who have been accused of ignoring WHL players, have taken a WHLer in the first round; a year ago, they took F Hunter Shinkaruk of the Medicine Hat Tigers with the 24th pick. . . . This is the first pick of the Trevor Linden/Jim Benning regime. There are seven MIS on stage.
7. The Carolina Hurricanes, in an apparent attempt to stave up the expected booing, send former Flyers favourite Rod Brind'Amour to the podium. He gets a rousing reception. . . . They take D Haydn Fleury of the Red Deer Rebels. He is the 12th first-round selection from the Rebels and the other 11 all have played in the NHL. . . . There are five MIS, including new head coach Bill Peters, a former head coach of the Spokane Chiefs.
8. The Toronto Maple Leafs, with eight MIS up there, select F William Nylander, the Swedish son of former NHLer Michael Nylander. TV shows his family and there is blonde hair everywhere.
9. The Winnipeg Jets decide on F Nikolaj Ehlers, a Dane who plays for the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads. We don’t know it at the time but he will be only QMJHL player taken in the first round. . . . Oh, there are seven MIS on stage.
10. The Anaheim Ducks go for size with F Nick Ritchie, who is said to be 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds. He also has hands, witness 39 goals in 61 games with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes. He also has a late birthday; he turns 19 on Dec. 5. . . . How big is Ritchie? Former NHLer Jim Sandlak, known as House when he played, now scouts for the Ducks. Ritchie looked to be a tad bigger than Sandlak. . . . There were seven MIS.
11. The Nashville Predators reach into Sweden and take F Kevin Fiala, who was born in Switzerland to Czech parents. (Gee, wonder if he knows Tim Bozon, who was born in St. Louis to French parents and later lived in Switzerland?). . . . We digress. The Predators paraded eight MIS to the stage.
12. The Arizona Coyotes, once known as the Phoenix Coyotes, have seven MIS on stage as they take F Brendan Perlini, who plays for the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs. Bob McKenzie, as usual the star of TSN’s draft show, informs that he covered Perlini’s father, Freddie, when he played for the Toronto Marlies back in the day. Brendan was born in Guildford, England, while his father was playing there. . . . Freddie was an eight-round pick by the Leafs in the 1980 draft, so his son has bragging right snow.
13. The Washington Capitals, with Ross Mahoney, the new assistant general manager, take F Jakub Vrana, a Czech who played in Sweden. Barry Trotz, the Caps’ new head coach, also was on the stage. He was one of five MIS.
14. The Dallas Stars pick D Julius Honka, the first member of the Swift Current Broncos to go in the first round since Vancouver took F Nathan Smith with the 23rd selection in 2000. The Broncos had 25 players taken in the next 13 drafts, but none in the first round. . . . Whoops! Here’s a tweet from Mike Heika, who covers the Stars for the Dallas Morning News: “Jim Nill just said they will talk to Julius Honka about moving from WHL to play in Finnish Elite League next season.” . . . Nill is the Stars’ GM. . . . He was one of nine MIS on stage, a number that will give the Stars the lead at halftime.
15. The Detroit Red Wings, with eight MIS, take F Dylan Larkin from the U.S. National Team Development Program. He is the first American-born player selected.
16. The Columbus Blue Jackets reach into the USNTDP for F Sonny Milano. Yes, the name sounds as though he should be an associate of Tony Soprano’s. Sonny’s given name is Frank; his father also is Frank. . . . There are six MIS when CBJ makes its pick.
17.  With his first selection as the Philadelphia Flyers’ GM, Ron Hextall, who is from Brandon, reaches down the Trans-Canada Highway to Elkhorn and grabs D Travis Sanheim of the Calgary Hitmen. Elkhorn also is the home of Sheldon Kennedy. . . . Going into last season, only friends and family seemed aware of Sanheim, who rocketed up the ratings as the season progressed. . . . The Flyers have only four MIS, including the legendary Bob Clarke, who was, yes, the 17th overall selection by the Flyers in the 1969 NHL draft.
18. The Minnesota Wild, with six MIS, go for F Alex Tuch, another USNTDP player.
19. The Tampa Bay Lightning select D Anthony DeAngelo of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting. He had 71 points in 51 games, but missed 15 games due to suspensions for (a) a slur against a linesman, (b) a slur against a teammate, (c) verbally abusing an official. The Lightning will work with him on what would appear to be anger management issues. . . . Still, DeAngelo is from South Philadelphia so you know this was a big night for him. . . . The Lightning trotted 10 MIS to the stage and took the lead from Dallas.
20. The Chicago Blackhawks grab F Nick Schmaltz of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, the first player to be taken from a junior A league. His brother, Jordan, plays for the St. Louis Blues, who took him 25th overall in 2012. The Blackhawks have five MIS on stage.
21. The St. Louis Blues, with seven MIS, select F Rob Fabbri of the OHL’s Guelph Storm. He had a fabulous playoff run as the Storm won the OHL championship, and you know that always helps.
22. The Pittsburgh Penguins send Rick Tocchet, a former Flyers star who now is an assistant with Pittsburgh, to the podium. It doesn’t work as the booing is loud. The Flyers take F Kasperi Kapanen, the son of former Flyers F Sami Kapanen. Sami also played for the Carolina Hurricanes. Former Carolina GM Jim Rutherford now is the Penguins’ GM. . . . There are seven MIS, including new head coach Mike Johnston.
23. The Colorado Avalanche, with classy Joe Sakic making the pick, take F Conner Bleackley of the Red Deer Rebels. So you can make it 13 Red Deer first-rounders. No wonder Red Deer owner/GM/head coach Brent Sutter was smiling last night. . . . The Avalanche took five MIS to the stage.
24. The Canucks are back, with a pick acquired from Anaheim in the Kesler deal. This time, they go for F Jared McCann of the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. Again, they had seven MIS.
25. The Boston Bruins, with six MIS up there, select F David Pastrnak, another Czech who played in Sweden.
26. The Montreal Canadiens reach into the WHL for Russian F Nikita Scherbak of the Saskatoon Blades. His interview with TSN host James Duthie will become the stuff of legend. Who knew Scherbak was a big curling fan? The Habs have eight MIS, including former WHL/NHL heavyweight Shane Churla, who has become one of the game’s top scouts.
27. The San Jose Sharks, with five MIS taking part, pick Russian F Nikolay Goldobin of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting.
28. The Islanders are back, having acquired this pick from Tampa Bay. GM Garth Snow (see Tweet of the Day) selects F Josh Ho-Sang of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires for whom he had 85 points in 67 games. For some reason, there are questions about his character. The Isles again have seven MIS.
29. The Stanley Cup-champion Los Angeles Kings go to Sweden for F Adrian Kempe. The Kings also show up on stage with 11 MIS, to take over the lead from Tampa Bay. Hey, when you’re the champs . . .
30. The New Jersey Devils, with five MIS, close out the first round by selecting F John Quenneville of the Brandon Wheat Kings. Quenneville had to work to get to the stage as he was going against the traffic with fans heading for the exits. He didn’t shy from contact, which must have made Devils superscout David Conte happy. . . . Edmonton Journal writer Jim Matheson later tweeted that his wife gets her nails done by Quenneville’s mother, which is an apt spot to wrap up the first-round coverage.
SOME NOTES: TSN’s draft coverage once again set the standard for all sports. This, of course, was their last kick as Sportsnet has signed a 12-year contract with the NHL. . . . Last night’s first round featured 25 forwards and no goaltenders. It was the second year in a row that goaltenders were blanked in the opening round. . . . For a story on bloodlines and this draft, check out this nhl.com piece right here. . . . Quenneville was the ninth WHLer taken in the first round. All nine were from the Eastern Conference, with five of those from the Central Division. That’s right. Not one Western Conference players was taken. . . . The WHL had nine players taken in the first round in each of the 2007 and 2008 drafts. Last year, that number was eight. . . . There were 10 OHL players taken, with only one QMJHL player selected. . . . There were five U.S.-born players selected. . . . Not one player taller than 6-foot-3 was selected, while a handful of players under 6-foot-0 were selected. Yes, it was a victory, albeit a small one, for smaller, skilled players. . . . Round 2 is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. Eastern today.
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1. G Jared Rathjen, 20, is on his way to his third WHL team. Rathjen, from Prince George, began his WHL career with the Victoria Royals, who dealt him early in 2012-13 to the Vancouver Giants. . . . On Friday, the Giants sent him to the Medicine Hat Tigers for a conditional fifth-round selection in the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. . . . Rathjen got into 29 games with the Giants last season and played well when Payton Lee was hurt. Rathjen finished 13-8-5, 2.98, .898. . . . The Tigers finished last season with two goaltenders on their roster -- Marek Langhamer and Nick Schneider. Langhamer, who turns 20 on July 22, is from Czech Republic and has signed with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. Schneider, who turns 17 on July 21, came over from the Regina Pats last season and went 6-0-0, 1.42, .943 in limited time behind Langhamer. . . . The Tigers’ roster also includes other potential 20-year-olds in F Miles Koules, D Tyler Lewington and D Kyle Becker. . . . Among Vancouver’s potential 20-year-olds are F Dalton Sward, F Travis McEvoy, F Trent Lofthouse, F Joel Hamilton and F Matt Bellerive.

2. The CIS Acadia Axemen, who play out of Wolfville, N.S., announced their 2014 recruiting class on Friday and it included a few names familiar to WHL fans. . . . Head coach Darren Burns lost seven players to graduation and also had D Colin Archer (Red Deer, 2007-10) move on when he was accepted into medical school at the U of Alberta. . . . D Matt Pufahl (Red Deer, Saskatoon, Everett, 2010-14), F Zach Franko (Kelowna, Kootenay, 2010-14), F Sam Fioretti (Moose Jaw, 2010-14) and F Boston Leier (Medicine Hat, Regina, 2010-14) all are among Acadia’s newest recruits.

3, The Young Stars Classic preseason tournament is scheduled for Penticton, B.C., Sept. 12-15. The six-game event will feature teams of prospects from the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale on July 11. Emanuel Sequeira of the Penticton Herald has more right here.

4. Bob Mackin, a freelancer who lives and works on the Lower Mainland of B.C., is one of my favourite journalists. He is doing journalism the way it’s meant to be done. . . . It’s doubtful that any journalist on the West Coast has more people who don’t respond to interview requests than Mackin. . . . On Friday, he filed a piece to the Vancouver Courier that ended up with this headline: World Cup slows City of Vancouver websites. . . . It carried this subhead: Too many city employees watching soccer online at work. . . . That story is right here.

5. Bobby Womack, a legendary singer, songwriter and musician, died on Friday at the age of 70. The New York Times obituary, written by Paul Vitello, is right here. . . . According to Vitello, Womack remained a gospel singer at heart. “Me being from the old school, I would not say ‘bitch’ on a record,” he said. “I couldn’t face my mother if I did.” . . . That’s Womack’s Across 110th Street in the great movie Jackie Brown. Here’s Across 110th Street right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dean Brockman, a four-time coach of the year in the SJHL, has joined the Saskatoon Blades as an assistant coach. Brockman, who had been hoping to land the head-coaching job that went to Bob Woods, got a four-year deal. He had been the GM/head coach of the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos for 10 seasons. Before that, he was GM/assistant coach (1997-2003). . . . The Blades also announced that assistant coach Jerome Engele, one of the WHL’s really good guys, and goaltending coach Tim Cheveldae (he’s a good guy, too) will be back. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has the story right here.
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Former Prince George Cougars head coach Lane Lambert has joined the NHL’s Washington Capitals as an assistant coach. Lambert, 49, spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators. Barry Trotz, who was dropped as Nashville’s head coach after the season, is preparing for his first season as Washington’s head coach. . . . Lambert also spent two seasons (2002-04) as an assistant coach with the Moose Jaw Warriors.
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Jamie Russell, a native of Kamloops, is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Elmira Jackals. Russell, 47, spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Providence College. Before that, he was the head coach at Michigan Tech from 2003-11. . . . Russell replaces Dwight Mullins (Lethbridge, Calgary, Saskatoon, 1982-88), who left to take over as head coach of the ECHL’s Evansville IceMen.
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Garth Snow, on TSN, on Ho-Sang: "He'll fit right in. They shit on me, too."
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) June 28, 2014

Garth Snow, um, cleanup on Isle Six...
— Adam Proteau (@Proteautype) June 28, 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.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Kevin Saurette (Regina, 1997-99) signed a one-year contract extension with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). Saurette started the season with Kaufbeuren (Germany, 2. Bundesliga), where he had 10 goals and 16 assists in 25 games. He then signed with the Giants just before Christmas and had 14 goals and 18 assists in 28 games. You can read about it  right here. . . .



F Konstantin Pushkaryov (Calgary, 2004-05) signed a one-year contract extension with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). He had four goals and six assists in 28 games with Barys this season.
———


A little of this and some of that . . .
1. The Saskatoon Blades’ season came to an end last night with a 6-1 loss to the London Knights in the tiebreaker game at the Memorial Cup. The Knights will play the Portland Winterhawks in the semifinal game tonight, with the winner meeting the Halifax Mooseheads in the final on Sunday. . . .
2. The Blades’ season was one to remember, but surely for a lot of the wrong reasons. After beating the host Edmonton Oil Kings 3-2 in a shootout on March 12, the Blades finished with one victory in their last 10 games.
3. With the Blades loss, we are left to wonder if we have witnessed the final game of Lorne Molleken’s WHL coaching career. Only Ken Hodge (742) has more WHL regular-season coaching victories than Molleken (603).
4. If Molleken does choose to step aside as head coach — he would, the theory goes, stay on as general manager — who replaces him? Three names you are certain to hear: David Struch, the Blades’ associate coach; Dean Brockman, who just finished his 12th season as head coach of the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos (he also is the GM); and Chad Mercier, who resigned as the general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs following the season
5. The moment that Saskatoon D Dalton Thrower raised his left arm, he was done. It was Wednesday night and Thrower was trying to stop an outside-in move by Portland F Taylor Leier. Thrower’s arm made contact with Leier’s head and now neither skater will play again in this Memorial Cup. . . . Thrower, who served a two-game suspension in October for a headshot in a game in Lethbridge, was suspended for the remainder of the Memorial Cup by NHL Hockey Operations (yes, that’s National Hockey League Hockey Operations), which handles disciplinary matters at this stage of the tournament. . . . With Thrower out, the Blades inserted D Kyle Schmidt, 19, into the lineup.
6. Thrower wasn’t penalized on the play, meaning you are free to wonder what it was the four on-ice officials were watching at the time.
7. Also Thursday morning, Portland head coach Travis Green told the media that Leier won’t play Friday and isn’t expected to play again in the tournament, which means he won’t play in Sunday’s final should the Winterhawks get there. Leier obviously has a brain injury after taking a hit to the head and then having his head strike the ice when he went down.
8. Kevin Mitchell, the sports editor of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, has spoken with Jack Brodsky, the Blades’ owner and governor, about the attendance at the Memorial Cup. That story is right here. . . .
“Grumblings have been heard about ticket prices,” Mitchell writes, “which for Wednesday's game between the Blades and Portland Winterhawks ranged from $66.25 (including service charges) to $113.75 in the lower bowl. Most upper-bowl tickets were $66.25, though $37.50 tickets could be had at the back of the arena.”
Brodsky told Mitchell: "I think ticket prices are where they should be. This is the national championship; this is the top teams in Canada playing. If you compare it to some of the NHL exhibition games we have in Saskatoon and the quality of hockey there . . . our prices aren't as high as some of those are. I think we're priced right."
Sorry, Jack, but you are asking some working stiff to pay $37.50 to sit in the Bob Uecker seats to watch a junior hockey game. That’s too much, never mind having to pay more than $100 for one ticket in the lower bowl.
We’re talking junior hockey, a sport whose fan demographic — families and seniors — isn’t rolling in that kind of dough.
Some WHL teams encountered problems selling playoff tickets when the prices got to the neighbourhood of $30 a pop, especially with games on live television.
When you’re talking $100 a ticket, well, that’s a lot of Netflix.
(If you’re a Saskatoon hockey fan who didn’t buy Memorial Cup tickets, either a package or singles, feel free to email me at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca and let me know your opinion.)
9. I was told Thursday that the deal involving the sale of the BCHL’s Salmon Arms has been completed. “The i’s are dotted, the t’s crossed,” someone with knowledge of the situation told me. “It’s done.” . . . The ownership group, which includes Troy Mick, is to be announced next week. Mick will be the club’s general manager and head coach. . . . Randy and Terry Williams had owned the franchise for six seasons. Mick, who already owned a piece of the franchise, also will serve as the president.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jay Varady is the new general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers, effective immediately. Varady spent the last two seasons in France as head coach of the Les Ducs d'Angers for the last two seasons. . . . Varady is a former associate and assistant coach with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. . . . He also was the video coach with the U.S. team that won the world junior champonship in 2010. . . .

Dale Hladun has resigned as head coach of the junior B Princeton Posse of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Hladun had one season left on a three-year contract. . . . Shortly after posting that on Twitter on Thursday, George Elliott (@PosseWebcrew) followed with: “More resignations from Princeton Posse executive expected in the next few days.” . . . Elliott also tweeted: “In his letter of resignation, Head Coach Dale Hladun claims to be owed $15,000 by the Princeton Posse.” . . . One more tweet from Elliott: “There are a lot of rumours flying around about the Posse. Remember, there are two sides of the story. Be sure to seek the information.” . . .


The Colorado Avalanche has cut a deal with Patrick Roy, who will be the NHL team’s head coach and vice-president of hockey operations. He had been co-owner, general manager and head coach of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts. . . .



Benoit Desrosiers has joined the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix as an assistant coach. Desrosiers, 24, spent this season as an assistant coach with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
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From Portland Winterhawks F Taylor Peters (@thepistolpete25): “Congrats to @Jnicks20 on a great dub career”
@Jnicks20 is the Twitter handle for Saskatoon Blades F Josh Nicholls.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
Kladno (Czech Republic, Extraliga) announced the signings of F Jan Dalecky (Swift Current, 2007-09) and F Jan Eberle (Seattle, 2006-08) to one-year contract extensions. . . . Dalecky had 18 goals and eight assists in 25 games for Kladno U20 (Czech Republic, U20 Extraliga), was pointless in five games on loan to Berounsti Medvedi (Czech Republic, 1.Liga), and had two assists in nine games on loan to Pisek (Czech Republic, 1.Liga). . . . Eberle had four goals and four assists in 35 games with Kladno and eight goals and nine assists in 20 games on loan to Pisek this season. . . .
D Kenton Smith (Calgary, 1995-2000) signed a one-year contract extension with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). He had 12 goals and 32 assists in 62 games for the Devils this season. Smith was named the winner of the Devils' Coaches' Player of the Year award this season. . . .
D Doug Lynch (Red Deer, Spokane, 1998-2003) signed a one-year contract with Frölunda Gothenburg (Sweden, Elitserien). He had 16 goals and 18 assists in 48 games for Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) this season.
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Taylor Vause, who played out his WHL eligibility with the Swift Current Broncos this season, is a talented young man. Highly skilled with graphics and a computer, he designs hockey-themed movie posters as a hobby. On Friday night, he posted one in tribute to the late Derek Boogaard.
It is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Ryan Parent is the new director of hockey operations and head coach of the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats. He had been coaching the major midget prep team at the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna. In 2010-11, he was an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks. . . . In Lloydminster, he replaces Brian Curran, who left for a five-year contract as GM and head coach with the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons. . . .
Clarke Singer, the head coach of the U of Western Mustangs, who play out of London, Ont., will take a one-year sabbatical so will miss next season. Pat Powers, an assistant coach with the Mustangs, will serve as the interim head coach in Singer’s absence. . . .
There is ample speculation out there involving who will be the next head coach of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, who announced Thursday that they weren’t renewing the contract of Brent Sutter. . . . Mike Brophy of Sportsnet has said a “Calgary source” told him that Dallas Eakins, the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, will get a serious look. Brophy also wrote that “other candidates being mentioned for the Flames' job include Troy Ward, head coach with Calgary's farm team, former Bruins coach Mike Sullivan, ex-Oilers coach Craig MacTavish, Bob Boughner and Bob Hartley.” . . . Roger Millions, who covers the Flames for Sportstnet, tossed out the name of Mike Johnston, the GM/head coach of the Portland Winterhawks. Johnston has NHL experience as an assistant coach under head coach Marc Crawford with the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings.
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In the AHL, the Norfolk Admirals ran their amazing winning streak to 26 games with a 5-1 victory over the host Albany Devils. D Keith Aulie, who played in Brandon, had two assists and was plus-3, while F Tyler Johnson (Spokane) had an assist and was plus-2. . . . G Dustin Tokarski (Spokane) was on the bench in a backup role.
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The Humboldt Broncos won their fourth SJHL title in six years on Friday, beating the Red Wings 6-0 in Weyburn to take the best-of-seven final in six games. . . . Dean Brockman, the Broncos’ general manager and head coach, has been there for all four titles; the others came in 2007, 2008 and 2009. . . . The Broncos will meet the MJHL-champion Portage Terriers in the Anavet Cup series. But the Broncos are the host team for the RBC Cup — the national junior A championship tournament — so the Terriers are automatically in, too.
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Followers of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting have this little-known tradition of throwing walleye — some may know them as pickerel — on the ice after their favourite team’s first goal of a game. . . . No more. . . . The OHL has lowered the boom, as Neate Sager of Buzzing The Net relates right here. . . . I will say that a dead walleye belongs in a frying pan, not on a sheet of ice in an arena. . . . Hey, do fans of the Flin Flon Bombers still toss moose hooves onto the ice?
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Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that the Moose Jaw Warriors may get all three of their injured players back for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final. That series opens in Edmonton against the Oil Kings on Friday. . . . The Warriors have said that D Morgan Rielly (knee) is expected to play in the opener. . . . Gourlie writes that F Jordan Wyton and F Torrin White also might be ready. . . . Wyton suffered a broken hand during a March 13 practice. . . . White has been out since going knee-to-knee with Medicine Hat Tigers F Emerson Etem in Game 1 of their conference semifinal series. Etem drew a one-game suspension for the hit.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Kamloops Blazers F Jordan DePape (@papskos17): “Well, its already been 7 years today living strong and healthy with type 1 diabetes, almost 15,000 needles later! Time sure flys! #strength)
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FRIDAY’S GAME:
In Spokane, F Dominik Uher scored at 6:28 of OT to give the Chiefs a 3-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . The series is tied 2-2 with Game 5 in Kennewick, Wash., tonight. . . . They’ll play Game 6 in Spokane on Monday. . . . Uher beat Tri-City G Ty Rimmer on the shortside with a backhand shot from the right circle. . . . This was the fourth one-goal game of the series and the second decided in OT. . . . It was the 10th time in the last 17 playoff meetings between these teams that they needed OT to settle the issue. So if you’re going to tonight’s game, you should tell the babysitter that you’ll be late. . . . Spokane F Dylan Walchuk took off on a breakaway — Tri-City D Zach Yuen fell in the neutral zone — and hit a post with 1:40 left in the third period. . . . The Chiefs got first-period goals from F Colin Valcourt and F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Holmberg got his ninth of these playoffs on the PP. . . . The Americans tied it in the second, on goals by D Derek Ryckman and F Adam Hughesman, the latter scoring on the PP. . . . Spokane G Eric Williams stopped 33 shots, one fewer than Rimmer. . . . Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin was held off the scoresheet, ending his point streak at 30 games. The last time he went without a point was in a Jan. 29 game in Calgary. He put up 72 points, including 34 goals, in those 30 games.

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