Scooter on Memorial Cup format ... Warriors set hockey operations ... Ex-WHLer suffers two strokes

F Dominic Zwerger (Spokane, Everett, 2013-17) has signed a three-year contract with Ambri-Piotta (Switzerland, NL A). This season, he had 28 goals and 47 assists in 67 games with Everett. . . . Zwerger is Austrian but qualifies as a non-import because he played minor hockey in Switzerland. . . .

F Dane Byers (Prince Albert, 2001-06) has signed one-year contract with the Manchester Storm (England, UK Elite). This season, with Cologne (Germany, DEL), he had seven goals and five assists in 49 games. He plans on studying for his MBA at the University of Salford while playing for the Storm.

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With the on-going debate about the Memorial Cup and its format, it’s only fitting that Taking Note should hear from Dean (Scooter) Vrooman, who was there in 1983 when the four-team tournament, featuring a host team, first was held.

Here’s Scooter:

“Since Portland was the first host team in 1983 and won it, I remember all the angst about how that would

DEAN VROOMAN

destroy the tournament, but it should be pointed out that only seven host teams have won the Cup in the 35 years of this format without also winning their league championship.

“And Windsor was the first team in 35 years of this format to win the Cup without winning at least one playoff series.

“The host team had lost its opening game six straight years from 2009-14 until Quebec beat Kelowna 4-3 in 2015. Red Deer also lost its first game in 2016.

“So, overall, one could argue the teams that ‘earn their way in’ have done very well in this format.

“Every time a host team wins, the format will come into question — but the very small crowds in Hull, Que., at the 1982 Cup (the last three-team tournament) was what really motivated Brian Shaw to champion the host team format, both from a financial standpoint and from the atmosphere standpoint.

“He felt that the event was worthy of bigger crowds and most of the time during this 35-year run that has happened. The atmosphere has been really good.”

Vrooman, now the Portland Winterhawks’ director, sponsorship sales and service, was a long-time radio voice of the team.

Shaw was the co-owner and general manager of the Winterhawks at the time and he really championed the move from a three-team tournament to a four-team affair that provides automatic entry to a host team.

One other thing that has to be remembered in discussing the Memorial Cup and its format is this: After the 2013 tournament was held in Saskatoon, each of the WHL’s teams received $148,913, a figure that was $118,477 following the 2016 event in Red Deer.

If you are thinking about a new format, you need to take that into consideration because that, as much as anything, is why it won’t change in the near future.

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Warriors unveil new look jerseys for 2017-2018. pic.twitter.com/nYGO56Scff

— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) June 2, 2017

The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed general manager Alan Millar and head coach Tim Hunter to what a news release says are “multi-year” contract extensions. . . . The Warriors didn’t release any information as to length of contracts or when they might expire. A source familiar with the situation told Taking Note late in the regular season that the board of directors of the community-owned team had agreed to terms with Millar on a five-year extension but had yet to announce it. . . . Millar is entering his eight season with the Warriors. . . . Hunter, 56, has been the Warriors’ head coach for three seasons. He has 14 years as an NHL assistant coach on his resume. He also was an assistant coach with Canada’s national junior team at the 2017 World Junior Championship and will be back in that role for the 2018 tournament. . . . The Warriors are 110-83-23 under Hunter, having made the playoffs each of the past two seasons. They lost in the second round of the playoffs last season and to the Swift Current Broncos in seven games in this season’s first round. Moose Jaw had gone 42-21-9 in the regular season, good for second in the East Division, five points ahead of the Broncos. . . . The Warriors also announced contract extensions to assistant coaches Mark O’Leary and Scott King, Doug Gasper, the director of scouting, and Brooke Kosolofski, the head athletic therapist. . . . The Warriors also have hired Tanner Arnold as equipment manager. He spent the past two seasons as the trainer/equipment manager with the SJHL’s Flin Flon Bombers.

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The Tri-City Americans have signed F Isaac Johnson, 18, to a WHL contract. Johnson, from Andover, Minn., played this season with the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers, scoring 14 goals and adding 14 assists in 47 games. . . . NHL Central Scouting has the 6-foot-2, 175-pound Johnson ranked No. 97 among North American skaters for this month’s NHL draft.

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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed F Noah Boyko, who was the 16th overall selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. Boyko, from St. Albert, Alta., had 25 goals and 27 assists in 36 regular-season games with the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League this season. He added seven goals and 11 assists in 14 playoff games as the Rangers won the provincial title. He then recorded six goals and four assists in five games at the Western Canadian championship.

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F Michael Spacek of the Red Deer Rebels has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Winnipeg Jets, who selected him in the fourth round of the NHL’s 2015 draft. The contract has an annual average value of US$833,300. . . . Spacek, 20, had a team-high 85 points, including 30 goals, in 59 games with the Rebels this season. In two seasons with them, he had 139 points, 48 of them goals, in 120 games. . . . A native of Czech Republic, he finished this season with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, earning one assist in four games. . . . He also played for Czech Republic in three straight World Junior Championships. . . . Because he was drafted out of Czech Republic, he is eligible to play in the Jets’ system in 2017-18, or he could return to the WHL as a two-spotter — a 20-year-old import.

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A group that includes former Moose Jaw Warriors F Ryan Smyth has purchased the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. The AJHL announced Thursday that its board of governors has unanimously approved the sale. . . . Darren Myshak had owned the Saints fo rthe past 14 seasons. . . . The new ownership group, known as Silent Ice, also includes Lindsey and Dan Leckelt, owners of Silent-Aire, an engineering and manufacturing company. Silent Ice also owns the senior AAA Stony Plain Eagles. Smyth, who played three seasons (1992-95) with the Warriors before going on to play 1,270 regular-season NHL games, is the Eagles’ captain. . . . Smyth will be the Saints’ president and is looking for a general manager and head coach after it was revealed that Mike Ringrose “has decided to leave the Saints to pursue other opportunities” after just one season. . . . Smyth also announced that Steven Goertzen (Seattle, 2001-04) is on board as hockey skills development coach. Goertzen is a native of Stony Plain.

Meanwhile, the AJHL’s board of governors also approved the sale of the Drayton Valley Thunder from a community group to a group that includes Cindy and Monte Waronek and Judy Sweet, all of whom, according to a news release, “are longtime residents and business owners in Drayton Valley.” . . . You have to wonder if Ringrose might surface with the Vancouver Giants, who have an opening for an assistant coach. Vancouver head coach Jason McKee spent 10 seasons with the Saints, and Ringrose was there for six of them.

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After a tough day following his initial stroke, hearing that ex Leaf  Bob McGill doing a little better in hospital.

— Lance Hornby (@sunhornby) June 1, 2017

Bob McGill, a former WHL defenceman, revealed via Twitter on Thursday morning that he has suffered a stroke. . . . Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun later reported that McGill “is in a Peterborough-area hospital after suffering a blood clot-related stroke.” According to Hornby, “McGill, 55, fell ill Wednesday at his cottage, according to friends. He tweeted about his condition early Thursday, wryly noting he ‘survived 705 NHL games and 190 fights, but in for my toughest fight now,’ while confirming the clot and the stroke.” . . . Later Thursday, Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star reported that McGill suffered two strokes — one at his cottage and another while in hospital. . . . McGill, a native of Leduc, Alta., played two seasons (1979-81) with the Victoria Cougars, totalling eight goals, 54 assists and 525 penalty minutes in 136 games. . . . The Toronto Maple Leafs selected him in the second round of the NHL’s 1980 draft. He went on to play 705 NHL games, splitting them between Toronto, the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders and Hartford Whalers. He finished his NHL career with 17 goals, 55 assists and 1,766 penalty minutes in 705 games. . . . McGill spent a lot of this season on the broadcast crew for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
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The Swift Current Broncos have signed Dave Rathjen as their goaltending coach. Rathjen actually joined the Broncos late this season on an interim basis through the end of the playoffs. Rathjen is a former WHL goaltender, having played 11 games with the Tri-City Americans in 1997-98. . . . From Penticton, B.C., he owns and operates Above the Crease Goaltending LTD.

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DAVID WILKIE

Former WHL D David Wilkie has been named head coach of the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. Wilkie played for the Lancers and was part of their championship team in 1990-91. . . . Wilkie, 43, has spent the past seven seasons coach with the Omaha AAA Hockey Club. Most recently, he has been its director of hockey operations and the head coach of the U-18 and U-16 teams. . . . Wilkie also has coaching experience as an assistant with the U of Nebraska-Omaha in 2007-08 and as head coach of the ECHL’s Augusta Lynx in 2002-03. . . . He split four WHL seasons (1990-94) between the Seattle Thunderbirds, Kamloops Blazers and Regina Pats. He was part of the Blazers’ 1992 Memorial Cup-winning team.

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Scott Atkinson is the new head coach of the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks. He also will work as the assistant general manager, alongside Troy Mick, the organization’s president and GM. . . . Atkinson, from Calgary, had been coaching at the Edge School in Calgary since 2009. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the U of Calgary Dinos in U Sports’ Canada West conference. He also spent 11 seasons as the head coach at Mount Royal College in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. . . . In Salmon Arm, he takes over from Misko Antisin, who stepped down at season’s end. Antisin started the season as the head coach of the Steamboat, Colo., Wranglers of the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League, but returned to Salmon Arm in November when head coach Brandon West was fired.

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Former NHL D Moe Mantha has signed on as the new general manager and head coach of the NAHL’s Brookings Blizzard. He replaces Dan Daikawa, the head coach for the past three seasons whose contract wasn’t renewed. . . . Mantha played 12 seasons in the NHL. He has coached with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires and Saginaw Spirit. . . . This season, he coached the French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League while scouting for Saginaw.

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Home-ice advantage for Game 7? Scooter checks in ... Ice inks top pick ... Ex-WHL coaches out of work

F Patrick Baum (Swift Current, 1997-98) has retired, per Dresden (Germany, DEL2) website. This season, he had two goals and eight assists in 48 games. He played his entire 10-year professional career in DEL2. . . .

F Kevin King (Kootenay, 2006-11) has signed a one-year contract with the Milton Keynes Lightning (England, Premier). This season, he hd 16 goals and 15 assists in 44 games with Gap (France, Ligue Magnus). He was an alternate captain on the team that won the French championship. . . .

F Lukáš Zeliska (Prince Albert, 2006-07) has signed a one-year contract with Dunkerque (France, Division 1). This season, with Cholet (France, Division 1), he had nine goals and eight assists in 24 games.

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In this space yesterday, with the help of Hartley Miller of 94.3 The Goat in Prince George, we pointed out that home teams went 44-41 in the WHL’s 2017 playoffs.

Having read that, Dean (Scooter) Vrooman, who has been around the WHL almost as long as ice, sent along a note. Scooter is the go-to guy when it comes to chronicling winners and losers in series that have gone seven (or nine) games.

This time he passed along some numbers that involve series that have gone the distance over the years.

Here we go . . . 

From 2012 through 2017, the road team was 4-11 in Game 7s. Road teams were 2-2 in Game 7s in 2017.

From 2004 through 2010, the road team was 10-10 in Game 7s.

From 1986 through 2003, the road team was 3-29 in Game 7s (or Game 9s).

From the beginning of the WHL in 1966-67 through 1984, the road team was 5-10 in Game 7s or Game 9s.

Overall numbers are: In 82 deciding games in series that went the distance (seven or nine games) in league history, the home team is 60-22.

And with Lethbridge and Regina each coming from 3-1 down to win a playoff series this year, there is this interesting factoid: Teams have rallied 11 times since 1996 from 3-1 down to win a best-of-seven playoff series. In 2017, two teams rallied from 3-1 down in the same playoff year to win a series for the first time since 1998.

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The Kootenay Ice has signed F Connor McClennon, who was the second overall selection in the 2017 WHL bantam draft. McClennon, from Wainwright, Alta., will turn 15 on June 25. He played this season for the bantam prep team at the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna, putting up 99 points, including 45 goals, in 30 games. . . . McClennon is the first player signed under the Ice’s new ownership team of Greg Fettes and Matt Cockell.

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Will former Moose Jaw Warriors F Kelly Buchberger sign on with the New York Islanders as an assistant coach with good friend Doug Weight, who is the head coach? Elliotte Friedman, in his latest 30 Thoughts, reports that Buchberger and Weight spent some time watching the WHL championship series, specifically F Mathew Barzal of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . That piece is right here.

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The Victoria HarbourCats of baseball’s West Coast League have signed Claire Eccles, a left-handed pitcher, as the league’s first female player. Eccles, 19, is from Surrey, B.C., and has played for the Canadian women’s national baseball team. Eccles was introduced at a news conference in Victoria on Tuesday. . . . Jim Swanson, the HarbourCats’ managing partner, is a former sports editor of the Prince George Citizen who covered the Cougars for a number of years. . . . There is a news release right here.

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The NHL’s New York Rangers have fired Ken Gernander, the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Gernander, 47, had been the coach in Hartford for 10 seasons. Including his time as a player, he had been there since 1997. The Wolf Pack was 388-304-84 with Gernander as head coach and made the playoffs in five of 10 seasons. However, it missed the playoffs the last two seasons and four of five. . . . At the same time, the Rangers named Chris Drury has Hartford’s general manager. Jim Schoenfeld, who had been the GM, is the Rangers’ senior vice-president and assistant GM and will focus on working with the NHL club.

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Ray Bennett and Rick Wilson, both of whom have ties to the WHL, were among four assistant coaches fired by the NHL’s St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. . . . Bennett, 54, had been on the Blues’ staff for 10 seasons, after spending seven with the Los Angeles Kings. A native of Innisfail, Alta., Bennett worked with the Spokane Chiefs and Moose Jaw Warriors before heading to L.A. . . . Wilson, a Prince Albert native who spent one season with the Blues, has been an NHL coach for 28 years. Before joining the New York Islanders, Wilson, 66, was a coach with the Prince Albert Raiders for eight seasons (1980-88), the last two as head coach. . . . The Blues also dropped assistants Ty Conklin and Steve Thomas.

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Adam Keefe, 33, is the new head coach of the Belfast Giants. He spent the previous two seasons with the Giants as a playing assistant coach. Keefe, the team captain from 2012-17, has been with the organization since 2011, helping the Giants win two Elite League championships. . . . Keefe replaces Derrick Walser, whose contract wasn’t extended after this season ended.

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There are three kinds of tweeters pic.twitter.com/iIehafbg4K

— Etan Weisfogel (@EtanHeytan) May 16, 2017

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Portland Winterhawks 24/7

It is hard to believe that it wasn’t that long ago when the Portland Winterhawks were lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut.
In 2007-08, the Winterhawks won 11 games. The next season, they won 19.
Last spring, you’ll recall, they reached the WHL’s championship final. Last month, they watched as 15 players off that roster departed for NHL camps.
And now the Winterhawks have taken a step off the ice that is just as impressive as what they accomplished on the ice last season.
If you missed it, the Winterhawks have announced the launching of “a dedicated online network that will host all live game broadcasts for this season at winterhawks.com using an audio player powered by live365.com.”
Understand that this isn’t an ESPN channel or anything like that. But, geez Louise, this is major junior hockey . . .
“Along with the games, the Winterhawks will use the online network to broadcast team-related content 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” the news release continues. “Fans can find the station by visiting winterhawks.com and clicking the ‘Listen Live’ link at the top of the page.
“Among the content on the team’s network will be podcasts, roundtable discussions, interviews with players and coaches, replays of recent and classic games, and much more. Live365.com includes apps that allow listeners to tune in on their smartphones in case they aren’t near a computer.”
Think about it for a minute. . . . A major junior hockey team providing fans with access to it on a 24/7 basis! That is almost mind-numbing.
“The idea for a Winterhawks.com Radio Network is about two years in the making and we are very excited about being able to finally roll it out this season,” Kelley Robinett, Portland’s senior vice-president of marketing and operations, wrote in an email. “We knew all along that streaming would allow us to provide fans with unprecedented access to our games, player interviews and features about the team.
“However, we needed to get to a point where we were comfortable with the streaming technology and delivery methods to the fans. The explosion of both high-speed Internet in the home and Internet connected smartphones has finally made this possible.”
The Winterhawks continue to have a radio deal with Freedom 970 and the Alpha family of stations and have put together a Friday night package — they play 23 Friday games. However, the Winterhawks have learned that many of their fans are listening to the radio station via an online stream or tracking scores on their smartphones.
“In launching the network, we take control of the stream content (24/7) and provide our smartphone users with access to the broadcast feed,” Robinett continued.
And what is the objective?
The Winterhawks, according to Robinett, want “to continually push new and relevant content to the fans each week.”
The Winterhawks also announced that the legendary Dean (Scooter) Vrooman will be more involved than he has been in recent seasons, which is the best news of all for veteran hockey fans in the Portland area.
As well, Todd Vrooman (yes, he is Scooter’s son) and Andy Kemper have switched roles — Vrooman will be the play-by-play voice, while Kemper provides analysis at home games and some road assignments.
Todd Vrooman, I’m told, has been part of putting together this entire 24/7 package for the last two years. He also now is a full-time employee of the Winterhawks as their communications manager. He is responsible for all content on the team’s live365.com station.
The two Vroomans and Kemper, along with veteran broadcaster John Kirby, will be involved in round-table discussions, feature interviews, etc.
“Todd has been outfitted with an iPad that he can use to record, edit and upload interviews from the team bus,” Robinett explained. “Andy records his show from a home office and some of the round-table discussions are literally recorded from the round dining-room tables of our broadcasters homes!
“As we get more and more comfortable with the technology we will explore call-in, text-in or even tweet-in live shows — both studio and on-location. Needless to say, we are pretty excited.”
And, finally, Robinett notes that “the live365 smartphone app is a big key to the success of this network. Two new videos are available now on YouTube that show Android and iPhone users how to download the app and connect to the Winterhawks.com Radio Network. We know that there will be some growing pains as people make the transition so we want to make it as simple as possible.”
As Graham Kendrick, the Winterhawks’ director of media and public relations, noted: “We’re really excited about this new venture. It’s going to be a lot of fun and our fans will love all the new content. This network on live365.com allows us to broadcast whatever we want, whenever we want. And with no subscription cost to fans, the content is free to whoever wants it.”
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Robinett also sent along a couple of addresses for those YouTube clips:
Android: Right here.
iPhone: Right here.
“In the coming months,” he added, “we will launch our own app across the Android, iPhone and Blackberry networks that will incorporate live audio, on-demand audio and, eventually, links to video highlights.”

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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