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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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If you enjoy stopping off here and catching up with goings-on in the hockey world and especially the WHL, you may want to make 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 are free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).

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

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

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.

Cougars redo ticketing system ... Peterson has seen it all in Nashville ... Ex-WHL goalie retires

The Prince George Cougars, having lost a big chunk of change over the past three seasons, have moved to a new ticket-pricing system. As Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen writes: “The team has dropped age-based pricing and will instead sell tickets based on where the seats are located in the arena.”

Greg Pocock, the franchise’s president, told Clarke:

"We've lost $2.3 million in three years and we can't continue to provide the players with the experience they're getting, that they've earned and deserve, and lose that kind of money. It's not sustainable.

“Projecting forward, this will put us up in the middle of the league in our pricing structure and it should encourage more people to come out and enjoy Cougars hockey.”

Here’s how Clarke explained the new pricing system:

“The team has set up four tiers of ticket-pricing for season memberships. A premium centre ice red ticket in the two main sections of the arena which starts a few seats shy of each goal line on either side will cost $728. The next most expensive tickets ($576) are in the blue section to the sides and behind the goal in what will be the Cougars' attacking end for the first and third periods.

“Seats in the white section, which will be to the sides and behind the goal the Cougars will defend for two periods, are priced at $420. The cheapest seats ($252 for a full 36-game season) are in the green section and will be in the first four rows in either end. Based on a 36-game schedule, the per-game ticket cost is $20.20 (red), $16 (blue), $11.67 (white) and $7 (green).”

Clarke’s complete story is right here.

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Please read the article about Brent Peterson. Doesn't deserve his lot in life but never gives in and always positive. Amazing man

— Ray Ferraro (@rayferrarotsn) May 27, 2017

Back in the day, Brent Peterson was a player (1974-78) with the Edmonton Oil Kings/Portland Winterhawks and a coach (1991-98) with Portland. He was the Winterhawks’ head coach when they won the 1998 Memorial Cup. . . . These days, he’s getting ready for the Stanley Cup final as a radio analyst on the Nashville Predators’ radio crew. Peterson, 59, has been with the Predators since Day 1, so you know how much this means to him. He was on the coaching staff until Parkinson’s disease made that untenable. . . . Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail has more on Peterson’s story right here.

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Nathan Lieuwen played in the WHL for seasons (2008-12) in the WHL, all of them tending goal for the Kootenay Ice. He’s 25 years of age now and has chosen to retire from hockey. He got into seven NHL games during his career, all of them with the Buffalo Sabres, but he got run over in the last one and ended up with a concussion, one that has had an impact on his vision. . . . Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada has more in his 30 Thoughts and it’s all 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.

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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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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.

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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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Closing in on WHL playoffs . . . Raiders get No. 1 draft selection . . . Hockey Canada picks Hamilton

D Brett Carson (Moose Jaw, Calgary, 2001-06) has signed a one-year extension with SaiPa Lappeenranta (Finland, Liiga). This season, he had three goals and five assists in 30 games.

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The WHL playoffs open on seven fronts on Friday night.

There are series previews available elsewhere, starting with dubnetwork.ca and whl.ca, so I’m not going to bother replicating any of that work.

Instead, here’s a quick look at each series and the injury implications, knowing full well that, like Sgt. Schultz, we’ll know nothing until Friday’s lineups are posted:

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WESTERN CONFERENCE

Looking sharp! The boys are rocking their new playoff shirts! 👌 #UnfinishedBusiness pic.twitter.com/Ta3hQue8uK

— Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) March 21, 2017

Everett (44-16-12, 1st in U.S., 1st in conference) vs. Victoria (37-29-6, 2nd wild-card): They’ll play Friday and Saturday in Everett. . . . The Silvertips swept the season series, going 4-0-0; the Royals were 0-3-1. . . . D Aaron Irving missed a couple of late-season games but has returned and will be a key for Everett. Their top three defencemen — Noah Juulsen, Kevin Davis and Irving — all are right-hand shots. . . . Everett F Devon Skoleski didn’t finish Sunday’s final game, while F Orrin Centazzo won’t play again this season. . . . Victoria F Tyler Soy missed a good chunk of time late in the season, but returned for the last couple of games. . . . The Royals may open without F Ryan Peckford, D Ralph Jarratt and D Chaz Reddekopp, all of whom are injured. Peckford is practising, while Jarratt is skating in a non-contact sweater. Reddekopp, who has a broken foot, won’t be there for the start of the series.

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Prince George (45-21-6, 1st in B.C.) vs. Portland (40-28-4, 1st wild-card): It starts with games Friday and Sunday in Prince George. . . . How competitive was the Western Conference? Portland is a wild-card entry with 40 victories. . . . In the season series, the Cougars were 2-2-0; the Winterhawks 2-1-1. . . . Prince George F Brad Morrison suffered an ankle injury in a Feb. 24 fight and hasn’t played since. He’s a point-a-game guy. . . . Portland F Cody Glass, who will be an early first-round selection in the NHL’s 2017 draft, missed the season’s last five periods. He had 94 points, including 32 goals, in 69 games. . . . The Winterhawks have been without F Evan Weinger, a 20-goal man, for 10 games. He last played on Feb. 24. . . . Portland might find motivation from the fact that it wanted a 2-3-2 format, but Prince George got the 2-2-1-1-1 it wanted, perhaps believed that the bus travel will wear on the Winterhawks. . . . The Cougars, who went wire-to-wire to win the B.C. Division, will get motivation from the fact it didn’t place one player on the conference all-star team or have anyone win an individual award. They also didn’t show up in the final CHL rankings.

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Play Off Dinner tonight. Nice to get the tradition back. #Cedars#AmsHockey

— Robert (Bob) Tory (@BTORY) March 23, 2017

Seattle (46-20-6, 2nd in U.S.) vs. Tri-City (41-28-3, 3rd in U.S.): They’ll get started in Kent, Wash., on Friday and Saturday. . . . Seattle won the season series, 6-2-0. . . . Seattle F Mathew Barzal had 79 points, including 69 assists, in 41 games but hasn’t played since March 7 because of the mumps. Will he, or won’t he? We won’t know until Friday. . . . Seattle G Rylan Toth led the WHL with 36 victories but last played on March 11. How badly injured is he? We’ll find out on Friday. . . . Two Tri-City forwards — Max James and Vladislav Lukin — are back from late-season injuries. Each played two of three weekend games and should be ready for Friday. However, F Nolan Yaremko is likely out after being injured in practice last week, and F Michael Rasmussen (wrist) won’t play in this series.

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Kelowna 45-22-5, 2nd in B.C.) vs. Kamloops (42-24-6, 3rd in B.C.): The series begins in Kelowna on Friday and Saturday. . . . Kamloops was 6-3-1 in the season series; the Rockets were 4-6-0. . . . Since the start of the 2015-16 exhibition season, these teams have met 30 times. Kelowna is 16-13-1 in those games; Kamloops is 14-14-2. . . . A year ago, the Rockets beat the Blazers in a seven-game first-round series, winning Game 7, 2-1, in OT on a goal by F Tomas Soustal. . . . The Rockets have been missing Soustal, a point-a-game guy who hasn’t played since he was injured while blocking a shot on March 1. . . . The Blazers are believed to be healthy.

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EASTERN CONFERENCE

Connor Hobbs thinks you should come enjoy games 1 & 2 and get in on the BRAND NEW pulled pork sandwich at @BrandtCentre! #JoinTheRegiment pic.twitter.com/uyENVUdTi9

— #JoinTheRegiment (@WHLPats) March 22, 2017

Regina (52-12-7, 1st in East, 1st in conference, 1st overall) vs. Calgary (30-32-10, 2nd wild-card): They’ll get started with games in Regina on Friday and Saturday. . . . Regina won the season series, 3-1-0; Calgary was 1-2-1. . . . The Pats go into the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak. . . . Regina F Jake Leschyshyn (knee) won’t play again this season. The Pats will be without F Nick Henry for Game 1 as he serves a one-game WHL suspension. . . . The Hitmen are believed to be healthy.

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Medicine Hat (51-20-1, 1st in Central) vs. Brandon (31-31-10, 1st wild-card): The Wheat Kings open defence of the Ed Chynoweth Cup in Medicine Hat on Friday and Saturday. . . . The Tigers won the season series, 3-1-0. . . . Medicine Hat may get back two defencemen — Kristians Rubins and Ty Schultz. Both have been out with injuries but have been taking part in full practices this week. . . . Brandon D Garrett Sambrook hasn’t played since Feb. 24. The Wheaties say he is out with an illness that isn’t mumps. . . . F Reid Duke, who led the Wheat Kings in goals (37) and assists (71), was injured in a 7-1 loss to host Regina on Friday and didn’t play in the Pats’ 6-0 victory in Brandon on Saturday. . . . Brandon also was without F Tanner Kaspick, D Kale Clague and F Nolan Patrick on Saturday. However, all four of those players returned to practice this week. . . . The Wheat Kings will get F Tyler Coulter back from a one-game suspension.

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Lethbridge (44-21-7, 2nd in Central) vs. Red Deer (30-29-13, 3rd in Central): They’ll get started in Lethbridge on Saturday and Sunday. . . . The Hurricanes were 5-0-1 in the season series; the Rebels were 1-4-1. . . . Two of the Hurricanes’ top forwards — Matt Alfaro and Zak Zborosky — have played once (March 15) since March 4. Both are point-a-game players. . . . Red Deer won’t have D Alex Alexeyev, F Adam Musil or F Reese Johnson. F Grayson Pawlenchuk is skating but hasn’t been cleared for contact after January shoulder surgery. D Austin Pratt is doubtful.

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Moose Jaw (42-21-9, 2nd in East) vs. Swift Current (39-23-10, 3rd in East): It begins with games in Moose Jaw on Friday and Saturday. . . . The Warriors won the season series, 4-2-0. . . . Despite being 175 km apart on the Trans-Canada Highway, these rivals haven’t met in the playoffs since Moose Jaw won a six-game series in 1999. . . . The Warriors may have F Spencer Bast available after a late-season injury. . . . For their final regular-season game, the Broncos’ scratches included G Jordan Papirny, (mumps), F Lane Pederson, D Colby Sissons, D Max Lajoie, F Kaden Elder and F Ryan Graham. Emanuel Viveiros, the Broncos’ head coach, has said they should have all of them back for Game 1, with the exception of Graham.

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The Prince Albert Raiders won the WHL’s draft lottery on Wednesday, meaning they moved up two spots and now hold the first selection the bantam draft that is scheduled for May 4 in Calgary.

In the standings, the Raiders had finished ahead of the last-place Kootenay Ice, which now has the second pick, and the Vancouver Giants, who have the third pick.

The Edmonton Oil Kings are in the fourth spot, followed by the Saskatoon Blades and Spokane Chiefs. The rest of the first round is in the inverse order of the final regular-season standings, as are the remaining rounds.

The Raiders also hold an option on the Kelowna Rockets’ first-round selection, thanks to a deal in which F Reid Gardiner headed west. The Raiders have to exercise that option this draft or in 2018. Prince Albert also holds two second-round picks and three in the third round.

When Jeff D'Andrea of paNOW asked Curtis Hunt, the Raiders’ general manager about the possibility of trading the No. 1 pick, the response was:
“My track record proves that I’ll trade just about everything. I haven’t thought about it, but if it worked for us now and in the future, I think you have to consider everything moving forward.”

The Raiders haven’t held the first selection since 2001. That’s when they took F Kyle Chipchura, who went on to total 165 points, including 59 goals, over four seasons with them.

Some observers have D Kaiden Guhle, a 6-foot-1, 170-pounder from Sherwood Park, Alta., as the favourite to go first overall. The Raiders selected his brother, Brendan, with the third overall pick in the 2012 draft. He was dealt to the Prince George Cougars this season.

Here is the first-round order for the 2017 bantam draft, as of Wednesday night

1. Prince Albert

2. Kootenay

3. Vancouver

4. Edmonton

5. Saskatoon

6. Spokane

7. Calgary

8. Brandon

9. Swift Current (from Red Deer)

10. Saskatoon (from Victoria)

11. Portland

12. Tri-City

13. Swift Current

14. Kamloops

15. Moose Jaw

16. Lethbridge

17. Kelowna (Prince Albert has option)

18. Prince George

19. Seattle

20. Everett

21. Medicine Hat

22. Red Deer (from Regina)

NOTES: Portland is in the first round with its own selection for the first time since Nov. 28, 2012, when the WHL took away first-round picks in five straight drafts, starting in 2013. That was after ruling that the Winterhawks had violated rules regarding player benefits. . . . Prince Albert holds an option on Kelowna’s first-round pick in 2017 or 2018. . . . Swift Current holds Red Deer’s first-round pick from a Dec. 27, 2015 trade in which F Jake Debrusk went to the Rebels, with F Lane Pederson among the pieces going to the Broncos. . . . Saskatoon has Victoria’s first-round pick from a Jan. 6, 2015 deal in which F Alex Forsberg went to the Royals. . . . Red Deer has Regina’s first-round selection from a Jan. 10 deal that involved, among other things, D Josh Mahura and F Jeff de Wit going to the Pats for F Lane Zablocki and D Dawson Barteaux. . . . To keep up on WHL trades involving draft picks, visit Alan Caldwell’s blog, Small Thoughts at Large, right here.

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The WHL also announced its all-star teams and some of its award winners on Wednesday. For a look at those lists, visit whl.ca.

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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.

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——

The U of Saskatchewan Huskies of 2016-17 had some 23 players on their roster who played in the WHL. You may have seen the Huskies on action on TV last weekend. They were in Fredericton, N.B., where they lost the Canadian university final, 5-3, to the U of New Brunswick Varsity Reds on Sunday. . . . But there was more to the story than that. It seems the Huskies ‘adopted’ a young hockey player, Carson Ferdinand, and gave him the thrill of a lifetime by making him part of the team. . . . It’s a nifty story — especially when you consider that Carson’s mother is a swim coach at UNB — and Darren Zary of the Saskatoon Star Phoenix has it all right here.

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Steve Ewen of Postmedia tweeted Wednesday morning that F Ty Ronning of the Vancouver Giants “says he’s signed a PTO with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers.”

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Ronning was a seventh-round selection by the Rangers in the NHL’s 2016 draft.

The son of former NHL F Cliff Ronning, Ty had 53 points, including 25 goals, in 68 games with the Giants this season. He led them in goals and points, and was selected as the team’s MVP.

In 215 regular-season games, he has 134 points, including 66 goals.

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Hockey Canada has named Darren Rumble, the head coach of the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, as head coach of the team that will play in the 2017 IIHF U-18 World Championship. . . . Rumble, a former assistant coach with the Seattle Thunderbirds (2012-13), was an assistant coach with Hockey Canada’s U-18 team at the 2015 and 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup summer tournaments. . . . Rumble’s assistant coaches at the World Championship will be Steve Hamilton of the Edmonton Oil Kings and Stephane Julien of the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix. . . . Jory Stuparyk of the Oil Kings will be the video coach, with Hockey Canada’s Fred Brathwaite the goaltending consultant. . . . The 10-team U18 World Championship is scheduled for Poprad and Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia, from April 13-23. Canada is in a pool with Finland, Latvia, Slovakia and Switzerland. The other pool features Belarus, Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden and the U.S.

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The Prince George Cougars have signed F Chance Adrian to a WHL contract. From Dalmeny, Sask., he was a seventh-round pick by the Red Deer Rebels in the 2014 bantam draft. He was dropped and the Cougars added him to their protected list in December. . . . Adrian, who won‘t turn 18 until Nov. 16, had 46 points, including 19 goals, in 43 games with the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts this season.

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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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“At some point, you just have to suck it up and play.” . . . That’s how Mike Fraser, the writing scout, starts this week’s column for the Brandon-based Westman Journal. Fraser, who scouts for the Wheat Kings, spends a lot of time in Western Canada’s arenas, and he sees it all. . . . You don’t want to miss his latest work and it’s right here.

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Elliotte Friedman leads this week’s 30 Thoughts with a look at the staredown that is doing on between USA Hockey and its national women’s team. As he points out. the American women are tying to get what Canada’s national women’s team already has. . . . That’s all right here.

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Griffin Foulk, who played in the WHL with the Everett Silvertips, Seattle Thunderbirds, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Swift Current Broncos (2012-16), is from Broomfield, Colo. These days, he’s attending Colorado U and has walked on with the school’s football team, the Buffaloes. "It was one of those things where I elected to forego college hockey and try and go professional at the age of 16, and it kind of came time this past fall to make the call to get my education," Foulk, 21, told Adam Dunivan of BoCoPreps.com. "But I love competing, I love working hard and it's just second nature to me. Coming here, having an opportunity to try out . . . I'm just dipping my toes in the water right now but I hope to make something of it." . . . Dunivan’s story is right here. 
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MONDAY-THURSDAY GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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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.

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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.

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Advance poll draws in Nanaimo . . . Did Hay reach into bag of tricks? . . . Ex-coach of year Wall of Famer

The City of Nanaimo reports that more than 4,000 voters cast referendum ballots in the advance polls held March 1 and March 8. . . . According to the Nanaimo News Bulletin, “. . . this compared to the 2008 general election which saw 1,390; 2011 which saw 1,663; and 2014 general election which attracted 2,262 advance voters.” . . . The City is holding a referendum on Saturday as it asks for the OK to borrow $80 million for the building of an events centre that would be home to a WHL franchise, presumably the Kootenay Ice. . . . Polls will be open Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with results expected to be available around 9 p.m. . . . Sheila Gurrie, Nanaimo chief election officer, told the News Bulletin: “By using voting tabulator machines, combined with software developed by the City of Nanaimo, the referendum results are normally available within the hour after the closing of the polls.What used to take hours can now be completed in minutes. If all goes well, results should be posted prior to 9 p.m. on Saturday night.” . . . The News Bulletin added that “official results will be declared no later than March 15 at 4 p.m.”

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Did Kamloops head coach Don Hay get his Blazers out of the doldrums by putting F Deven Sideroff in his starting lineup on Wednesday night?

You be the judge . . . 

On Feb. 11, with the Blazers on their way to a 3-1 victory and a split of a doubleheader in Victoria, Royals F Jared Dmytriw was given a checking-to-the-head major and game misconduct for a hit on Sideroff.

DON HAY

Dmytriw ended up with a three-game suspension; Sideroff missed one game.

The teams met Wednesday in Kamloops for the first time since Feb. 11.

When Victoria head coach Dave Lowry filled out his lineup card, he had Dmytriw in the starting lineup, on the left wing alongside Dante Hannoun and Regan Nagy. Lowry made that move even though Dmytriw’s regular linemates have been Vladimir Bobylev and Matt Phillips.

When Hay completed his side, he countered with Sideroff on the right wing, with his regular linemates, Garrett Pilon and Rudolfs Balcers.

Might this have been two old-school head coaches making moves according to the ‘code’?

Perhaps predictably, Dmytriw and Sideroff fought off the opening faceoff, resulting in fighting majors and game misconducts. On Thursday, both players were suspended for one game, meaning they will miss tonight’s rematch in Kamloops.

Marty Hastings of Kamloops This Week quoted Lowry as saying: “That’s hockey. The events of the last game carried over. Good on both guys. Deven took exception to it and (Dmytriw) was accountable for it. That should be over now.”

Hay, for his part, claimed that he had forgotten about the Feb. 11 incident.

“If I would have known that, I probably wouldn’t have started Sideroff,” Hay told reporters. “I forgot about that situation. Bad coaching, I guess.”

Hay has more playoff victories than any coach in WHL history and is No. 2 in regular-season victories. His Blazers were coming off 8-4 and 6-1 weekend losses to the Cougars in Prince George, games in which the Blazers were out-everythinged.

After Wednesday’s game, which Kamloops won, 5-2, Hay said his guys were “more engaged from the get-go” than they had been in the two weekend games.

“We were more physical (Wednesday),” Kamloops F Jermaine Loewen said. “Our backcheck was harder. We were more competitive.” 

Now you don’t suppose that was all part of Hay’s plan, do you?

Or had he really forgotten about what happened on Feb. 11?

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The Blazers also will be without D Ondrej Vala on Friday against the Royals. He drew a one-game suspension after taking a kneeing major and game misconduct at 1:34 of the first period on Wednesday, for a hit on Victoria F Vladimir Bobylev. . . . Bobylev was helped to the bench, but didn’t miss a shift. . . . The Blazers and Royals were fined $500 apiece because players engaged in a fight to start a game.

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Whatever happened to Jack Sangster, the WHL’s coach of the year for 1981-82? How about Doug Korman, who played for the Regina Pats (1977-78)? . . . They’re doing just fine, thank you. In fact, they are Wall of Famers in Thompson, Man. Ian Graham of the Thompson Citizen has more right here.

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One of the WHL’s top rivalries is back on the ice this weekend as the Regina Pats and Moose Jaw Warriors go home-and-home this weekend. They open tonight (Friday) in Regina and wrap up Saturday in Moose Jaw. . . . The Pats lead the East Division by 10 points over the Warriors, but Moose Jaw has won nine straight games. . . . “It’s bigger for them than for us but it’s big,” John Paddock, the Pats’ general manager and head coach, told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post. “For me, they’re the best team in the conference. The nut-heads that pick the (CHL) top 10 finally got them in the top 10 where they should be.” . . . The Pats go into the weekend having won their last two games — beating the Wheat Kings 4-2 in Brandon on Tuesday and dumping the Broncos 4-2 in Swift Current on Wednesday. . . . Regina D Sergey Zborovskiy is listed as questionable after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Swift Current F Owen Blocker on Wednesday. Blocker was hit with a TBD suspension on Thursday.

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When this NHL season, there were 18 banners hanging in the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, each honouring one of the greatest players in Toronto Maple Leafs history. On the night that this season opened, the Maple Leafs replaced those banners and the originals are being delivered to the hometowns of those former players. They will pay tribute to former G Johnny Bower tonight in Prince Albert as the Raiders play host to the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Ron Ellis, another former Toronto great, will take part in the delivery of the banner on Bower’s behalf.

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The Moose Jaw Warriors have added F Brayden Tracey, a first-round pick in the 2016 WHL bantam draft, to their roster for the remainder of this season. Tracey, from Calgary, won’t turn 16 until May 28. He played this season with the midget AAA Calgary Northstars, putting up 19 points, including eight goals, in 28 games. He added a goal and two assists in five games.

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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet filed his weekly 30 Thoughts on Thursday. If you haven’t seen it, it’s right here, and it’s as readable as always.

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If the WHL playoffs began today . . . 

Eastern Conference

Regina vs. Saskatoon

Medicine Hat vs. Brandon

Moose Jaw vs. Swift Current

Lethbridge vs. Red Deer

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Western Conference

Everett vs. Portland

Prince George vs. Victoria

Kelowna vs. Kamloops

Seattle vs. Tri-City

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Lethbridge at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Victoria at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Red Deer vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

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

Brandon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Moose Jaw at Regina, 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Everett vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.

Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

Prince George vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 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.

Gropp burning it up with T-Birds ... Silvertips win in Regina ... Cougars beat Chiefs on funky ice

F Mitch Wahl (Spokane, 2005-10) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Oskarshamn (Sweden, Allsvenskan). Wahl was released by Västervik (Sweden, Allsvenskan) earlier Tuesday, after recording six goals and eight assists in 23 games. He started the season with with Ilves Tampere (Finland, Liiga), scoring a goal and adding three assists in 16 games.

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The Saskatoon Blades have added Cliff Mapes to their front office as vice-president of business operations. Mapes has been working as a branch manager with Prairie Mobile Communications in Calgary. Prior to that, the Saskatoon native spent 10 years with the Regina Pats, where he was the Eastern Conference’s recipient of the Marketing/Business Award for 2013-14. . . . Meanwhile, on the ice, the Blades hope to have F Markson Bechtold back in their lineup tonight (Wednesday) when they meet the visiting Everett Silvertips. He last played on Dec. 27. Bechtold, 20, was acquired from the Spokane Chiefs but played in only three games before being injured. He has one goal with the Blades, after recording five goals and three assists in 13 games with the Chiefs.

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The Regina Pats have signed F Kjell Kjemhus, 15, to a WHL contract. Kjemhus, from Grande Prairie, Alta., was a fourth-round selection in the WHL’s 2016 bantam draft. . . . He is playing at the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna. He has a goal and four assists in 10 games with the prep team, and three assists in 14 games with the U-18 team that plays in the NAPHL.

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D Jacob Bernard-Docker has committed to the U of North Dakota Fighting Hawks for the 2018-19 season. Docker, who will turn 17 on June 30, is from Canmore, Alta. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has 18 points, including six goals, in 46 games with the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. . . . Bernard-Docker was a fifth-round selection by the Swift Current Broncos in the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft.

F Jordan Xavier, 19, has committed to the U of Alaska-Anchorage where he will play for the Seawolves. Xavier was a fifth-round pick by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the 2012 bantam draft. From Calgary, he has 20 points, seven of them goals, in 19 games with the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. He started the season with the AJHL’s Calgary Mustangs, earning 16 goals and 14 assists in 30 games.

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The Edmonton Oil Kings are scheduled to entertain the Kootenay Ice in the eighth annual Hockey Hooky game this morning. . . . The Oil Kings go into the game with one defenceman suspended and four on their injury list, all with “upper-body” injuries. . . . Will Warm will complete a WHL suspension by sitting out today’s game. . . . The Oil Kings show Jordan Dawson as day-to-day, Brayden Gorda out one week, Wyatt McLeod out indefinitely and Riley Stadel TBD. . . . McLeod appeared to injury a shoulder during Sunday’s 3-2 OT victory over the visiting Calgary Hitmen. The Oil Kings ended a franchise record-tying 16-game losing skid with that victory so will be trying to get a winning streak going today. They have beaten the Ice three times so far this season; this being the era of the loser point, it must be pointed out that the Ice is 0-2-1 in the season series.

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The WHL has suspended F Jared Dmytriw of the Victoria Royals for three games after he took a headshot major and game misconduct during a 3-1 loss to the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Saturday night. . . . Dmytriw will miss Victoria’s three-game Central Division swing that features games against the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight, Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday and and Kootenay Ice on Saturday. . . . Dmytriw hit F Deven Sideroff, who missed the Blazers’ 4-0 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Monday afternoon. Sideroff is expected to return Friday when the Blazers meet the Vancouver Giants in Langley, B.C. . . . D Ondrej Vala of the Blazers will miss that game as he completes a suspension that was set at two games on Tuesday. He was suspended under supplemental discipline, apparently for a cross-check that took Victoria F Tyler Soy out of Saturday’s game. Soy is shown on the WHL roster report as being out week-to-week and wasn’t on the Royals’ bus when it headed for Alberta. F Ryan Peckford (undisclosed injury) didn’t make the trip, either. 

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Always on the hunt for fresh angles, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman begins his weekly 30 Thoughts in a car with Rob DiMaio, who played with the Kamloops Blazers and Medicine Hat Tigers, and his family. DiMaio now is director of player personnel with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. Yes, it’s interesting stuff, and it’s all right here.

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———

Rod Aldoff has returned as head coach of the SPHL’s Pensacola Ice Flyers. He replaces Kevin Hasselberg, who was fired on Monday. . . . Aldoff, a 46-year-old Lethbridge native, had been Pensacola’s hed coach coach for the previous three seasons, winning two SPHL championships in the process. He left the Ice Flyers last summer to join the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals, at the time an affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. However, the Oilers sold the ECHL franchise and the new owners released Aldoff, who was kept on with the NHL team as a scout. . . . The Ice Flyers were 15-15-5 and seventh in the 10-team league when Hasselberg was fired.

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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

At Moose Jaw, F Jayden Halbgewachs moved back into a tie for the WHL’s goal-scoring lead as he helped the Warriors to a 3-1 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Halbgewachs gave the Warriors a

JAYDEN HALBGEWACHS

1-0 lead at 10:27 of the first period when he scored his 43rd goal. He is tied with F Tyler Steenbergen of the Swift Current Broncos for the goal-scoring lead. . . . F Brett Howden (29) increased the lead to 2-0 at 2:06 of the second period, with Halbgewachs drawing an assist. . . . The Wheat Kings halved the deficit as F Stelio Mattheos (22) counted at 5:43. . . . Moose Jaw put it away on F Yan Khomenko’s 13th goal, at 18:19 of the third period. . . . The Warriors got 15 saves from G Zach Sawchenko, while Brandon’s Logan Thompson turned aside 31 shots. . . . The Warriors had a 12-1 edge in shots in the first period and it was 17-7 in the second. . . . Brandon was 0-2 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 0-3. . . . The Warriors had D Colin Paradis back in their lineup, but D Josh Thrower was scratched. They continue to be without F Brendan Burke and F Noah Gregor. . . .For the first time in more than a week, the Wheat Kings didn’t have any players scratched due to illness. . . . This was the first time in seven games between these teams that overtime wasn’t needed. Moose Jaw is 4-0-3 in the series; Brandon is 3-1-3. . . . The Warriors (33-17-8) had lost their previous three games (0-2-1). . . . The Wheat Kings (27-21-8) had points in each of their previous four games (2-0-2). . . . Announced attendance: 3,155.

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Ummm. Errrrr. Wellll, it's certainly interesting seeing the warmups!! pic.twitter.com/QUe4cW1coK

— Andy Beesley (@Andy_Beesley) February 15, 2017

At Prince George, the Cougars erased a 1-0 deficit with six straight goals and went on to score a 7-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . One night earlier, the Chiefs had post a 4-3 victory. Following that game, fans were allowed to go out onto the ice and show their artistic touch. The teams played on that painted ice in this one. . . . 

Trying to follow the puck on that Cougars-Chiefs game was really difficult with all the drawings on the ice. Cute idea though!

— Helen :D (@helenskiii) February 15, 2017

F Jaret Anderson-Dolan’s 32nd goal gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 1:21 of the first period. . . . F Jared

JANSEN HARKINS

Bethune (17) tied it at 13:37. . . . The Cougars moved out front when F Aaron Boyd scored his eighth goal, shorthanded, at 15:33. . . . The Cougars scored four straight goals in the third period, getting them from F Kody McDonald (12), F Jansen Harkins (18), F Colby McAuley (20) and F Brad Morrison (21). The first two came via the PP. . . . Spokane got its second goal from F Ethan McIndoe (15), with F Jackson Leppard (2) also scoring for the Cougars. . . . Harkins, F Radovan Bondra and D Tate Olson each had two assists for the winners. . . . G Nick McBride earned the victory with 28 saves. . . . At the other end, Dawson Weatherill stopped 29 shots. . . . Prince George was 2-7 on the PP; Spokane was 0-5. . . . The Cougars are without D Brendan Guhle (ankle), who is listed as being out week-to-week. . . . Prince George (38-17-4) has lost its previous two games (0-1-1). . . . Spokane (24-24-9) had points in its past four games (3-0-1). . . . Announced attendance: 2,675.

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I would rather watch The Dressage Network than another game involving the Everett Silvertipzzzzzzzzzzz ...

— Rob Vanstone (@robvanstone) February 15, 2017

At Regina, the Everett Silvertips grabbed a 1-0 lead before the game was three minutes old and went on

BRIAN KING

to a 4-2 victory over the Pats. . . . D Aaron Irving’s 16th goal, at 2:24 of the first period, got Everett out to a quick start. . . . F Brian King (3), who also had an assist, gave Everett a 2-0 lead at 11:14 of the second period. . . . Regina got to within a goal when F Filip Ahl got No. 24 at 16:51. . . . However, Everett scored twice before the second period ended. . . . D Noah Juulsen, who also had an assist, scored his 10th goal at 17:55. . . . F Patrick Bajkov (22) made it 4-1 at 19:49. . . . Regina’s second goal came from F Dawson Leedahl (27), at 2:41 of the third period. Leedahl, 20, was acquired from Everett prior to the season. . . . Regina F Sam Steel picked up an assist on Leedahl’s goal, making him the WHL’s first 100-point scorer this season. . . . The Silvertips got 26 saves from G Carter Hart, who won for the 22nd time this season. . . . Regina G Tyler Brown made 27 saves. . . . Regina was 0-3 on the PP; Everett was 0-4. . . . Everett (33-12-10) is 2-1-0 on its six-game East Division swing. . . . Regina (40-7-7) had won 11 straight games. . . . Announced attendance: 5,458.

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A tale of two eras in TBirds/Rebels matchups.
92/93-98/99 Seattle was 10-2-1 (tie) vs RD
99/00-present RD is 14-4-0-1 vs Seattle

— TBird Tidbits (@TBirdTidbits) February 15, 2017

At Kent, Wash., F Ryan Gropp continued his hot streak with a goal and two assists as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Red Deer Rebels, 4-1. . . . Gropp ran his goal-scoring streak to eight games and

RYAN GROPP

his point streak to 14.  He has 11 goals in those eight games, and 31 points in the 14 games. . . . He also has put up six straight multi-point games. . . . Gropp now has 24 goals and 37 assists in 51 games. Last season, he finished with 34 goals and a career-high 36 assists in 66 games. . . . Gropp got Seattle out to a 1-0 lead at 13:29 of the first period. . . . F Keegan Kolesar made it 2-0 with his 18th goal 26 seconds into the second period. . . . At 2:37 of the second, Gropp set up F Alexander True for his 19th goal, on a PP. . . . Red Deer D Colton Bobyk got his guys on the scoreboard at 2:55. He’s got six goals. . . . Seattle F Elijah Brown finished the scoring with his second goal, at 9:08 of the third. . . . The Thunderbirds got two assists from F Mathew Barzal, while Kolesar had one. . . . Barzal has points in seven straight games, with a goal and 19 assists. He also has six straight multi-point games. . . . Kolesar, the third member of what right now is the WHL’s best forward unit, has points in six straight, with six goals and six assists in that stretch. He has goals in five straight games. . . . G Rylan Toth stopped 16 shots in earning his 29th victory, one off the league lead. . . . . Red Deer starter Riley Lamb allowed three goals on 19 shots in 22:37. Lasse Petersen came on in relief, stopping 15 of 16 shots in 27:23. . . . Seattle was 1-3 on the PP; Red Deer was 0-2. . . . The Thunderbirds (36-16-5) remain atop the U.S. Division, one point ahead of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Rebels (23-25-9) have lost five in a row (0-4-1). . . . This was Seattle’s sixth game in eight nights. The Thunderbirds won five of them, the only loss coming on Monday afternoon when they were beaten 6-3 by the host Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Thunderbirds signed F Cody Savey, 15, on Monday and he made his WHL debut in a 6-3 loss to the Rockets in Kelowna later in the day. He was in the lineup again on Tuesday. If you would like to learn more about Savey, there a good piece right here. . . . Announced attendance: 4,263.

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Kootenay at Edmonton, Hockey Hooky, 11:30 a.m.

Victoria at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Everett at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Regina at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

Red Deer vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 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.