Smoke over the hills ... Warriors ink goalie coach ... Ex-WHL coach's run ends in Tucson

The summer of fires moved closer to our home late Wednesday afternoon when one broke out near Monte Lake. We live about 20 km east of Kamloops above the north shore of the South Thompson River. When we go to Vernon or Kelowna, we head east on the Trans-Canada Highway to the Monte Creek interchange and then take Highway 97. Monte Lake is about 15 minutes up that highway. . . . The four photos above were taken off our deck on Wednesday evening. When I first heard about the fire, at about 5 p.m., I took a look and there was one fairly thin column of smoke. Inside of 30 minutes it had grown by leaps and bounds. . . . The top photo shows the light from the setting sun glancing off the smoke as the clock neared 9 p.m. . . . The photo second from top was taken just moments before the top one. . . . The third photo was taken around 6 p.m. . . . There were a number of airplanes working the fire; the one in the photo has a retardant bay on its bottom; it was headed back to the Kamloops airport for the night as darkness set in. . . . The Thompson Nicola Regional District put evacuation alerts and orders in place, and there are an untold number of buildings at risk. . . . Now we can only wait and see what morning will bring. 

According to one witness #Montelake #bcwildfire pic.twitter.com/sVzI3chiCM

— Kamscan (@Kamscan) July 27, 2017

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THE MacBETH REPORT:

F Charles Wells (Seattle, Prince Albert, Portland, 2007-12) has signed a one-year contract with the Guildford Flames (England, UK Elite). Last season, with Mulhouse (France, Division 1), he had six goals and 15 assists in 22 games. . . .

F Tyler Redenbach (Prince George, Swift Current, Lethbridge, 2001-05) has signed a one-year contract with Tappara Tampere (Finland, Liiga). Last season, he had 11 goals and 22 assists in 34 games with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga), and two goals and three assists in nine games with Třinec (Czech Republic, Extraliga). . . .

F Justin Maylan (Moose Jaw, Prince George, Prince Albert, 2007-12) has signed a one-year contract with Heilbronn (Germany, DEL2). Last season, with Fehérvár AV19 Székesfehérvár (Hungary, Erste Bank Liga), he had seven goals and 35 assists in 53 games. He led the team in assists.

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A LITTLE OF THIS . . .

Matt Weninger has joined the Moose Jaw Warriors as their new goaltender coach. . . . From a news release: “Weninger is currently the regional consultant and goaltending lead for Hockey Alberta and previously worked with the Saskatchewan Hockey Association in 2015-16 as a goaltending and coaching consultant.” . . . He also served as the goaltending coach for the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers for two seasons (2015-17) and has worked with Laurentian University (U Sports) and Hockey Canada. . . . As a player, he spent four seasons (2010-14) at St. Lawrence U, where he holds school records for career and single-season games played, minutes played, consecutive games played, and total saves. . . . He also played three SJHL seasons, splitting that time between the Kindersley Klippers and Flin Flon Bombers. . . . In Moose Jaw, Weninger takes over from Jamie Hodson, who had worked with the Warriors since 2011. Hodson now is the director of business and hockey operations for the MJHL’s Virden Oil Capitals.

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If you were wondering what was wrong with D Ethan Bear of the Seattle Thunderbirds late in the WHL playoffs and through the Memorial Cup, well, now we know. . . . As was reported here originally, Bear did have a broken finger. What we didn’t know until now is that he underwent surgery to repair the index finger on his left hand. . . . Bear was injured while blocking a shot in Game 3 of the Western Conference final against the Kelowna Rockets. He sat out the next three games, then returned for the final against the Regina Pats, a series that Seattle won, 4-2. . . . “I was lucky enough to get a quick surgery, and then I recovered enough to play in the final and then the Memorial Cup," Bear told Derek Van Diest for a story that is posted right here at nhl.com. “I had to adjust the knob on my stick and the way I placed my hand. But Seattle, they really made it work for me and I was able to play at my best abilities. They put a plate in it and couple of screws. The doctors did a really good job. They made it strong enough so that I could play and I wouldn't feel as much pain.” . . . According to Van Diest, “Bear still is recovering from his injury, but is expected to be ready for Oilers training camp in the fall.” . . . Bear, 20, was a fifth-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL’s 2015 draft and has signed a three-year entry-level contract.

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There are three WHL players on the roster for Team Finland as it prepares to play in the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Mich., from July 29 through Aug. 5. . . . F Sami Moilanen (Seattle Thunderbirds), D Juuso Valimaki (Tri-City Americans) and D Henri Jokiharju (Portland Winterhawks) all are on Team Finland’s roster for the tournament that also features teams from Canada, Sweden and the U.S.

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If you would like to contact Taking Note with information, have a question or just feel like commenting on something, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com. I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).

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THE COACHING GAME . . .

Mark Lamb, who spent six seasons as the general manager and head coach of the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos, is out after one season as head coach of the Tucson Roadrunners, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. . . . John Chayka, the Coyotes’ president of hockey operations and general manager, announced Wednesday that Mike Van Ryn has taken over as head coach. . . . The assistant coaches will be John Slaney and Steve Potvin. . . . Mark Hardy, an assistant coach last season, also won’t be returning. . . . Van Ryn spent the past season working as the Coyotes’ development coach. . . . In 2015-16, he was the head coach of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. . . . Slaney spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the Coyotes, while Potvin has been with the organization for one season as the skills coach. . . . The Roadrunners finished 29-31-8 last season, their first in the AHL. Their winning percentage (.485) left them sixth in the eight-team Pacific Division. They didn’t qualify for the playoffs.

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TWEET OF THE DAY . . .

Put me in coach #southkorea 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/Rvw17hfQ82

— Sheehan Desjardins (@SheeDesjardins) July 26, 2017

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Improvements coming to Regina arena? ... Ice season tickets past 1,700 ... Benson skates with Oilers

F Liam Stewart (Spokane, 2011-15) has signed a one-year contract with the Guildford Flames (England, UK Elite). Last season, he had nine goals and 11 assists in 49 games with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). . . .

F Sergei Drozd (Tri-City, 2009-10) has signed a one-year extension with Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL). Last season, he had a goal and six assists in 46 games.

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The Regina Pats will be the host team for the 2018 Memorial Cup tournament, which is bound to be extra-special because it’ll be the 100th anniversary of the fabled trophy. When the Pats bid on the tournament, they knew that their home, the Brandt Centre, would need some improvements. With that in mind, the Regina Exhibition Association Ltd. has asked the city for $1.3 million for renovations. . . . Craig Baird of the Regina Leader-Post has more right here.

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The Kootenay Ice’s Drive to 25 campaign ended on Friday with the team having sold 1,713 season tickets. The team made that announcement on Tuesday. . . . “We are off to a good start towards our goal of 2,500 season seats and we feel like there is some momentum gathering,” Matt Cockell, the franchise’s president and general manager, said in a news release. “Our entire staff is excited to do the work and continue to get out in the community and talk about the value of being a season-ticket holder; our goal of 2,500 season-seat holders continues to be the target.” . . . That news release is right here.

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F Tyler Benson has struggled through two injury-filled seasons with the Vancouver Giants. These days, he’s hoping they all are permanently in his rear-view mirror. Benson has been in Jasper, Alta., skating at the Edmonton Oilers’ development camp and he reports that things are going well. He had surgery to repair a sports hernia in April and in Jasper was almost up to full speed. . . . Postmedia’s Rob Tychkowski has more right here.

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There is a huge developing story ongoing in the KHL where 42 players whose rights belonged to Dynamo Moscow all have been declared “unlimited free agents.” That includes F Klim Kostin, who was selected by the Kootenay Ice with the first pick of the CHL’s 2016 import draft but chose not to report. He was selected by St. Louis with the 31st overall pick of the NHL’s 2017 draft and is expected to sign with the Blues, perhaps as soon as this week. . . . The Dynamo situation all has to do with a change in ownership, a power struggle and an organization that is in debt to the tune of somewhere near Cdn$43 million — that’s about two billion rubles. . . . Patrick Conway has a whole lot more on that story right here.

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WHL says suit doesn't fit ... Pats get forward from Chiefs ... Benson recovered from surgery

F Justin Kelly (Prince Albert, Spokane, Saskatoon, 1997-2002) has signed a one-year extension with the Bietigheim Steelers (Germany, DEL2). Last season was an injury-plagued one for Kelly, who had five goals and 10 assists in 10 games. In the playoffs, he added four goals and 11 assists in 12 games. . . . 

F Radim Valchar (Portland, Lethbridge, 2007-10) has signed a two-year extension with Csíkszereda Miercurea-Ciuc (Romania, MOL Lisa). Last season, he had 14 goals and 13 assists in 24 games. He led his team in goals and was second in points.

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A Calgary judge has given the OK for a lawsuit against the WHL and its Canadian teams to go ahead as a class action.

At the same time, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Robert Hall exempted the WHL’s five U.S. teams.

The lawsuit is asking that teams be required to pay minimum wages and other items such as overtime, back pay and vacation pay for former and present-day players who qualify and choose not to opt out.

The WHL quickly responded on Thursday by issuing a statement.

“This was a procedural decision only and makes no determination regarding the merits of the claim and, in particular, the status of WHL players,” WHL commissioner Ron Robison said in that statement. “The claim fundamentally misunderstands the nature of amateur sport, including major junior hockey. We believe players are not employees but amateur athletes, and we believe our case is strong.”

On Thursday, while certifying the lawsuit as a class action, Justice Hall outlined the eligibility requirements, which are dependent on age and geography.

From Justice Hall’s decision:

The B.C. class is open to “all players who were or are members of a WHL team owned and/or operated by one or more of the defendants located in B.C. at some point, commencing Oct. 30, 2012, and all players who were members of a team who were under the age of 19 on Oct. 30, 2012, but excluding any players who commenced played for a team on or after Feb. 15, 2016.”

The Alberta and Manitoba class may be joined by “all players who were or are members of a team owned and/or operated by one or more of the defendants in Alberta or Manitoba at some point, commencing Oct. 30, 2012 and ending April 18, 2017, and all players who were members of a team who were under the age of 18 on Oct. 30, 2012.”

The Saskatchewan class may be joined by “all players who were or are members of any team owned and/or operated by one or more of the defendants in Saskatchewan, commencing Oct. 30, 2012, and all players who were members of a team who were under the age of 18 on Oct. 30, 2012, but excluding any players who commenced playing for a team on or after April 29, 2014.”

At the same time, Justice Hall exempted the five U.S. teams that play in the WHL.

“I believe it would be inappropriate,” Justice Hall wrote, “for an Alberta court to tell Washington and Oregon how their law should be interpreted and applied in these circumstances. There are actions available in those states, applying their rules of procedure, some of which differ considerably from Canada and Alberta procedures; such as the fact that in Canada a class member is a plaintiff unless he or she opts out, whereas in their jurisdictions a class member is not a plaintiff unless he or she opts in. It would be preferable that actions proceed in Washington and Oregon in respect to the” U.S. defendants.

TSN’s Rick Westhead, who has covered this situation extensively, tweeted yesterday that it’s “worth noting players, either current or former, can join class action lawsuit in secret . . . (without) teams or league knowing they have done so.”

A similar lawsuit brought against the OHL and its teams got the go-ahead from Ontario Superior Court Justice Paul Perell on April 27. The OHL had a 20-day window in which it could appeal, something it chose not to do.

A court hearing involving a lawsuit against QMJHL teams is scheduled for next week in Montreal.

In his statement, Robison pointed out that “our position has been endorsed by governments in the majority of jurisdictions where WHL clubs are located. The provinces of Saskatchewan and British Columbia along with the State of Washington have adopted exemptions to their employment standards acts clarifying that WHL players are amateur athletes. The WHL expects all other provincial and state jurisdictions will also pass similar exemptions in the near future.”

The WHL lobbied heavily for such changes in those jurisdictions. In fact, on Oct. 26, columnist Ian Mulgrew of the Vancouver Sun reported right here:

“The Western Hockey League did not register as a lobbyist before leaning on B.C.’s cabinet to exempt major junior players from the minimum wage law, the provincial watchdog says.”

Erin Beatty, communications director for the B.C. Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists, told Mulgrew that the regulator now is “acting on the potential incident of non-compliance in this case.”

Rob Shaw of Postmedia had reported that, according to Mulgrew, “internal government records, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, indicated aggressive lobbying by the WHL with Premier Christy Clark and Labour Minister Shirley Bond.” Bond is the MLA for Prince George-Valemount.

According to Mulgrew, “It started with a meeting in March 2015. . . . Robison appealed for protection from a class-action lawsuit launched by current and former players seeking minimum wage, holiday pay and other damages from the for-profit league for violating labour standards.”

Mulgrew added: “The direct lobbying effort worked — cabinet quietly passed an order-in-council on Feb. 15, 2016 granting the league the exemption.”

On Thursday, Robison again made the claim that if teams are ordered to pay more to their players, franchises will be in jeopardy of folding.

“Any change to the status of our players as amateur athletes would have major implications to not only the WHL but amateur sport as a whole,” Robison said in the statement. “If WHL clubs were required to provide minimum wage, in addition to the benefits the players currently receive, the majority of our teams would not be in a position to continue operating.”

Robison’s claim means at least 12 of the WHL’s 22 teams would be in danger of collapsing.

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The Regina Pats have acquired F Koby Morrisseau, 17, from the Spokane Chiefs for a fourth-round WHL

KOBY MORRISSEAU

bantam draft pick in 2019 or 2020. The deal also includes two conditional bantam draft picks.

The Pats also get a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2020 draft, while giving up a conditional third-rounder in 2020.

Morrisseau, who is from Grandview, Man., was the ninth-overall election in the 2015 bantam draft.

Last season, he had a goal and an assist in 22 games with Spokane. In his draft season, he had 39 goals and 22 assists in 30 games with the midget AAA Parkland Rangers of the Manitoba Midget Hockey League.

Morrisseau’s 2016-17 season was cut short by concussions.

He was injured on a check-from-behind during a game against the Portland Winterhawks on Sept. 3 in a preseason tournament in Everett and spent a night in hospital.

Morrisseau returned in time to start the regular season on Sept. 24, but left a Dec. 13 game against the Seattle Thunderbirds following a hard check from D Turner Ottenbreit.

On Jan. 9, the Chiefs announced that Morrisseau’s season was over and that he had been placed on the long-term injured reserve list.

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The injury-related trials and tribulations of Vancouver Giants F Tyler Benson have been detailed at length

TYLER BENSON

over the past couple of seasons. However, not until seeing an Edmonton Sun on Wednesday while in Jasper, Alta., was I aware that Benson had undergone surgery for a sports hernia last season. Postmedia’s Jim Matheson, a Hockey Hall of Famer who covers the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, reported that Benson “had surgery to repair (a sports hernia) late this past season.” As Matty added, Benson has “had a cyst on his spine and osteitis pubis, along with the sports hernia, and had a shoulder injury he brought to camp last fall, which ended his chances to play exhibition games.” . . . Benson, who is from Edmonton, was a second-round pick by the Oilers in the NHL’s 2016 draft. He apparently has finished his rehab from surgery and is expected to attend the Oilers’ prospects came in Jasper sometime after next weekend’s 2017 draft. . . . Benson, 19, has played only 63 games with Vancouver over the past two seasons, but has put up 70 points, including 20 goals. The Giants selected him with the first overall pick of the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft.

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The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed D Luke Bateman, who was a fourth-round pick in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. From Kamloops, Bateman won’t turn 15 until Sept. 9. Last season, he had three goals and 23 assists with the bantam AAA Kamloops Jr. Blazers.

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The arena in which the Seattle Thunderbirds, the reigning WHL champions, play their home games is soon to undergo a bit of a name change. The facility that has been the ShoWare Center since it opened in 2009 will become the access ShoWare Center in the fall. . . . Steve Hunter of the Kent Reporter writes: “England-based access (which used the small letter for its name, which is Italian for access or admission) bought in 2014 California-based VisionOne, Inc., which owned ShoWare.” . . . Hunter reported that “the owners of access agreed to pay $3 million to get the naming rights for 10 years.” . . . The Thunderbirds, as the main tenant, get $50,000 per year under the terms of the naming rights deal. . . . Hunter’s story is right here.

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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).

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Trevor Letowski is the new head coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, the reigning Memorial Cup champions. Letowski takes over from Rocky Thompson, now the head coach of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. . . . Letowski, 40, has been Windsor’s associate coach for the past six seasons. Prior to that, he spent six seasons on the coaching staff of the Sarnia Sting.

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Mike Vellucci is the new head coach of the Charlotte Checkers, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. Vellucci has been an assistant GM with the Hurricanes through four seasons and will continue in that role, too. . . . With the Checkers, he replaces Ulf Samuelsson, who left after one season to join the Chicago Blackhawks as an assistant coach. . . . Vellucci hasn’t coached since 2012-13 when he was the OHL’s coach of the year while with the Plymouth Whalers. He spent 14 seasons with the Whalers. 

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Cougars add Russian sniper . . . Tigers get d-man . . . Benson off the table?

WHL trades since Dec. 27:

Trades: 14.

Players: 25.

Bantam draft picks: 18.

Conditional bantam draft picks: 1.

(WHL trade deadline is Jan. 10).

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That Popugaev trade is unexpected. Not too often you see likely NHL first round picks traded in their draft year.

— Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge) January 5, 2017

The Prince George Cougars made it clear on Thursday that they see themselves as serious challengers

NIKITA POPUGAEV

for the Ed Chynoweth Cup by acquiring Russian F Nikita Popugaev from the Moose Jaw Warriors.

The 18-year-old Popugaev is seen as a potential first-round selection in the NHL’s 2017 draft.

In exchange for Popugaev, who is from Moscow, the Cougars surrendered two forwards — Yan Khomenko, 18, who is from St. Petersburg, Russia, and Justin Almeida, 17 — along with two WHL bantam draft picks — a fifth-rounder in 2017 and a second-rounder in 2018.

No doubt this deal was in the works before today, but it came on the heels of a move by the Kamloops Blazers in which they acquired F Lane Bauer, 20, a point-a-game skater, from the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Going into this weekend, the Cougars (27-10-2) are leading the B.C. Division by six points over the Blazers (24-15-2) and seven over the Kelowna Rockets (23-14-3). The Cougars are tied with the Everett Silvertips (25-5-6) for first in the Western Conference standings and second in the overall standings, three points in arrears of the Regina

JUSTIN ALMEIDA

Pats (26-3-7).

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Popugaev is a late-1998, with a Nov. 20 birthday. He has 51 points, including 22 goals, in 40 games this season. He is tied for seventh in the WHL points derby. Last season, as a freshman, he finished with 16 goals and 31 assists in 70 games.

Popugaev played for Team Russia in the 2016 CHL Canada-Russia series and will play on Team Orr in the Top Prospects Game in Quebec City on Jan. 30.

According to Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen, the two general managers, Todd Harkins of the Cougars and Alan Millar of the Warriors, first started talking trade during the Mac’s midget tournament in Calgary just after Christmas.

"We coveted a right-hand shot because (Kody) McDonald and (Josh) Curtis are the only two in our forward group," Harkins told Clarke. “Not having that right-hand shot hurt our power play at times, so he brings instant credibility to our power play.”

Popugaev is expected to be in Prince George in time to play tonight (Friday) against the Victoria Royals.

This is the second time this season that the Cougars have made what can justly be referred to as a

YAN KHOMENKO

blockbuster. On Nov. 17, they acquired D Brendan Guhle, 19, from the Prince Albert Raiders for F Kolby Johnson, 18, D Max Martin, 17, a first-round pick in the 2018 bantam draft and a third-round selection in 2019.

Khomenko, 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, played last season with Everett, recording five goals and three assists in 46 games. This season, he has 10 goals and 10 assists in 36 games with the Cougars.

The 5-foot-10, 165-pound Almeida, from Kitimat, B.C., was taken by the Cougars with the fifth overall selection of the 2014 WHL bantam draft after putting up 147 points, including 80 goals, in 70 games with the North Shore Winter Club’s A1 Tier 1 bantam team.

This season, Almeida has four goals and nine assists in 37 games, after putting up two goals and four assists in 48 games as a freshman last season.

“From our end,” Millar told reporters, “in terms of where our team is at, where we believe we can be now and in the future, the return . . . just fit with what we’re building, how we want to play the game and (it’s) a new opportunity for Popugaev that I think will benefit him.

“It gives a different look to our hockey team. I think we got deeper, I think we got a little bit more responsible, a little bit more validity in terms of our two-way game, and we felt that was important moving forward.”

Millar said that the Warriors feel Khomenko is an import player who is getting his feet under him in his second season and will only get better.

“We think he’s a little bit of an under-the-radar guy and we think he complements our group real well,” Millar said.

As for Almeida, Millar noted his point total in his draft season, saying: “He’s a big part of the deal and a big part of our future. His hockey IQ is high. He’s a smart player and very skilled.”

The Warriors (23-9-7) are second in the East Division, six points behind the Regina Pats, who hold three games in hand, and two ahead of the Swift Current Broncos.

“We’re  still a very young team,” Millar said. “We only have four 19-year-old players on our roster. . . . We banked some picks, which we think is going to be really valuable this year and next.”

The Warriors are expected to have Almeida and Khomenko in their lineup tonight when they play host to the Saskatoon Blades.

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The Medicine Hat Tigers, wanting to add some experience to their back end, have added Jordan

JORDAN HENDERSON

Henderson, 19, from the Saskatoon Blades for a fifth-round selection in the 2017 WHL bantam draft.

The Tigers will be without D David Quenneville, the WHL’s highest-scoring defenceman, for the foreseeable future after he suffered a broken tibia while blocking a shot in the first period of a 6-2 loss to the visiting Regina Pats on Tuesday night. Quenneville has 48 points, including 20 goals, in 38 games.

The 6-foot-0, 180-pound Henderson is going to his third WHL team this season. The Blades had acquired him from the Spokane Chiefs on Nov. 11 for a sixth-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft. 

Henderson had a goal and three assists in 20 games with the Blades, after recording four assists in 15 games with the Chiefs. In 132 career games, he has two goals and 15 assists.

The Chiefs had selected Henderson, who is from Surrey, B.C., in the fourth round of the 2012 bantam draft.

Henderson is expected to make his Medicine Hat debut against the visiting Vancouver Giants on Saturday.

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If you are wondering what the future holds for F Tyler Benson of the Vancouver Giants, here’s Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal:
“The Vancouver Giants have listened to offers on Oilers second-round draft Tyler Benson before the Jan. 10 Western Hockey League deadline. One Western Conference team made a heckuva offer for the 18-year-old winger (a good 2000-born player and draft picks), then was told he was off the table when it ran up to the owner Ron Toigo.”

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Oilers fire scouts . . . Kennedy: No fixing pedophiles . . . Dom's in the picture

There’s nothing like the off-season for cooling in-season rivalries . . .

Thank you Gravelbourg for inviting @SCBroncos Charlie Horse to #SummerSolsticeFestival. Even ran into an old friend. pic.twitter.com/WyS2UB17tb

— Leigh Duquette (@LeighADuquette) June 21, 2015

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F Jordan Peddle (Swift Current, Edmonton, 2008-12) signed a contract for the rest of this season with CBR Brave Canberra (Australia, AIHL). Last season, with the Mississippi Surge (SPHL), he had 10 goals and 18 assists in 56 games. . . .
F Myles Bell (Regina, Kelowna, 2008-14) signed a one-year contract with Stjernen Fredrikstad (Norway, GET-Ligaen). Last season, with the Albany Devils (AHL), he was pointless in two games and had 10 goals and nine assists in 41 games with the Evansville Icemen (ECHL).
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With the NHL draft scheduled to start Friday in Sunrise, Fla., the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers dropped the axe on a few of their scouts on Saturday evening. Morey Gare, the head of their pro scouting department, was fired, as was head amateur scout Stu MacGregor. . . . Two other amateur scouts also were dropped, although their names weren’t available last night. . . . MacGregor, who I am told had one year left on his contract, once scouted for the Kamloops Blazers, and then was the team’s general manager for three seasons (1995-98). He left the Blazers to scout for the Dallas Stars, then joined the Oilers’ scouting staff in 2000. On Sept. 10, 2007, he was named the team’s director of amateur scouting.
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Graham James, the former general manager and head coach of the Swift Current Broncos, had two years added to the jail sentence he already is serving when he pleaded guilty to more sexual abuse-related charges on Friday. During the proceedings, Barb Pacholik of the Regina Leader-Post reported, “Defence lawyer Robert Skinner told court that when the 62-year-old offender is one day released, he intends to find a job ‘but he would also like to consider something in the education field, dealing with counsellors and coaches and teachers to tell them about his experience, so as they don’t make the same serious mistakes.’ ” . . . Pacholik continued: “At that comment, former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, another victim of James who came to support the latest complainant, raised his eyebrows and looked incredulous.” . . . Kennedy later told Pacholik: “There is no fixing (pedophiles.) There’s managing.” . . . Pacholik’s story is right here.
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During the NBA Finals, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers felt the urge to tell the world that he is “the best player in the world.” . . . Right here, William C. Rhoden of The New York Times takes a look at the reaction resulting from that statement.
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If you are familiar with Dom’s story, you know how special this picture is . . .

Our good luck charm. Come back anytime, champ. #PlaidForDad #GoDomGo pic.twitter.com/uZ7vMesVzk

— MedHat Mavericks (@mhmavericks) June 20, 2015

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Go West, young men, go West!

It was in the early 1980s when the late Ed Chynoweth, then the WHL’s leader, admitted that his greatest fear had to do with NHL teams moving affiliate teams into Western Canada and setting up a new league.

At the time, he said he could see the day when pro teams were in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Regina and Saskatoon, just for starters.
The Saskatoon Blades are near the end of lease negotiations with the SaskTel Centre. When the papers are signed, the Blades will again have hockey exclusivity in the building. That is something that Chynoweth, all those years ago, felt was of the utmost importance and something that most, if not all, WHL teams insist upon in their leases.
Now here we are more than 30 years later and NHL teams are moving affiliates west, just not into Canada.
The AHL made it official on Thursday — it will have a five-team Pacific Division next season, with all teams located in California.
The Anaheim Ducks will move the Norfolk, Va., Admirals to San Diego; the Calgary Flames will move the Adirondack Flames from Glens Falls, N.Y., to Stockton; the Edmonton Oilers will move the Oklahoma City Barons to Bakersfield; the Los Angeles Kings are moving the Manchester, N.H., Monarchs to Ontario; and the San Jose Sharks are taking the Worcester, Mass., Sharks and relocating them to, yes, San Jose.
The Adirondack Flames are in their first season in Glens Falls, after relocating from Abbotsford, B.C. Adirondack head coach Ryan Huska left the Kelowna Rockets after last season to sign with the Flames.
Mike Stothers, who left the Moose Jaw Warriors after last season, is the first-year head coach of the Monarchs.
San Jose will play its AHL affiliate out of its home building — the SAP Center. Interestingly, San Jose is planning on scheduling Saturday doubleheaders, with the AHL team playing matinees and the NHL team playing at night.
The primary reason for the moves is to get affiliate players closer to the parent clubs to make it that much easier for recalls. Scheduling details are scarce but the five Pacific Division teams will play fewer games than other AHL teams. That and less travel should result in more practice time, all of which should make for happy coaches and better development.
There also is speculation that more NHL teams will get involved in moving their AHL teams in the near future.
The Vancouver Canucks are in their second season with the AHL’s Utica, N.Y., Comets. Pat Conacher, a former head coach of the Regina Pats, is the Comets’ director of hockey operations, with Travis Green, the former assistant GM and assistant coach with the Portland Winterhawks, the head coach.
There is speculation that the Canucks will move the franchise to Abbotsford or Langley, B.C. The Abbotsford Centre seats 7,046 and no longer is home to a hockey team. The 5,276-seat Langley Events Centre is home to, among other things, the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen and the National Lacrosse League’s Vancouver Stealth.
Jim Benning, the Canucks’ general manager, told TSN Radio Vancouver on Thursday that his organization will continue to monitor the situation.
“We're really happy in Utica — players love it there,” Benning said. “We'll continue to monitor it.”
The Winnipeg Jets’ AHL affiliate is in St. John’s, Nfld. There have been rumours since the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg that the Jets would like to have that franchise in Thunder Bay, Ont. That’s hardly close to the Pacific Northwest or California, but it’s closer than Newfoundland.
The Arizona Coyotes, who are hooked up with the AHL’s Portland, Me., Pirates, also are said to be interested in having a team closer to Phoenix.
Some of the communities being vacated by AHL teams are expected to end up being home to ECHL franchises. There also is speculation that the QMJHL would like to expand by two teams and is looking at the vacant arenas.
What impact, if any, will this have as far as the WHL is concerned?
I doubt that there will be any immediate impact, but it certainly could have repercussions down the road.
When these AHL teams get relocated and organized, you can bet that they will be pouring resources into minor hockey programs as they attempt to attract fans. Eventually, that will mean more and better hockey players coming out of those areas.
It all could lead to a WHL team with a completely American roster. Don't scoff. The Portland Winterhawks have 12 players on their 23-man roster right now.


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Oilers return Draisaitl . . . Hitmen shoot down Pats . . . Hill, Koules lead Winterhawks

THE LATEST ON LEON . . .

The NHL’s Edmonton Oilers announced Sunday that they have returned German F Leon Draisaitl “to the Canadian Hockey League.”
Later, the Prince Albert Raiders, with whom Draisaitl played the previous two seasons, issued this two-sentence news release: “The Edmonton Oilers have released Leon Draisaitl back to the Prince Albert Raiders pending a trade of his WHL rights. More details to follow in the coming days.”
It is believed that a trade will be announced on Tuesday. That exchange is expected to have Draisaitl move to the Kelowna Rockets, perhaps for a player and a first-round bantam draft pick.
Draisaitl was selected by Edmonton with the third-overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft. In 37 games with the Oilers, he had two goals and seven assists.
Joanne Ireland of the Edmonton Journal has more right here.
The Rockets are scheduled to be in Edmonton for a game with the Oil Kings on Jan. 28.
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Rene Fasel, the president of the IIHF, met with the media at the WJC in Toronto on Sunday and address the attendance situation involving games played in Montreal. . . . In discussing ticket prices, he said: “I was really surprised. If you would do this pricing in Europe, you would have nobody in the arena.” . . . The Canadian Press has a story from the news conference and it’s right here. It also includes a look at the various levels of ticket prices.
Ken Campbell of The Hockey News also was in attendance at Fasel’s news conference. Campbell blogged about it right here.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:

In Regina, the Calgary Hitmen scored twice in the shootout and beat the Pats, 3-2. . . . Calgary F Radel Fazleev got the winner. Earlier, F Adam Tambellini had scored for the Hitmen, with Dryden Hunt counting for Regina. . . . The Pats erased a 1-0 deficit when F Connor Gay and Hunt scored 17 seconds apart in the final minute of the first period. Gay has 20 goals; Hunt has 14. . . . Calgary F Connor Rankin forced OT with his 18th goal at 5:09 of the third. . . . Hunt also drew an assist as he ran assist and point streaks to 10 games. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple stopped 31 shots, three more than Calgary’s Mack Shields. . . . The Pats had freshman F Sam Steel back after he missed two games with an undisclosed injury. . . . Prior to the game, the Pats announced that they have returned F Erik Gardiner, 15, to the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos. He had one assist in two games with Regina. . . . The Pats (24-12-3) are 4-0-1 in their last five. . . . The Hitmen improved to 21-15-3. . . .

In Portland, F Miles Koules scored three times and G Adin Hill earned his second straight shutout as the Winterhawks beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 4-0. . . . Hill has two career shutouts. . . . He stopped 29 shots for this one. . . . Koules has 17 goals. He opened the scoring at 19:28 of the first period, made it 3-0 on a PP 41 seconds into the third period, and closed the scoring into an empty net at 18:10. . . . Seattle was 0-for-5 on the PP; Portland was 1-for-3. . . . Seattle had scored first in each of its previous five games, and had won all five. . . . Linesman Jacob Hill left early in the game after taking a clearing attempt by Portland D Brendan De Jong up high. Jarrod Boman came out of the stands and finished up. . . . Portland F Keegan Iverson left with a match penalty at 3:06 of the first period. He was penalized for having tape on a hand while injuring an opponent during a fight with F Luke Osterman. . . . Portland (21-17-3) has won two in a row. . . . The Thunderbirds (19-16-4) had a season-high six-game winning streak end.
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@KIBIHT. Retired KIBIHT referees after party in Toronto pic.twitter.com/UgDuISxjPY
— Lee-Gaye Hicketts (@lhicketts) January 5, 2015

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