Memorial Cup semifinal set . . . Remparts coach pays price for rant . . . Pats shuffle their deck

D Shaun Heshka (Everett, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with MODO Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, SHL). This season, with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL), he had one goal and five assists in 22 games. He was traded to Admiral Vladivostok (Russia, KHL) on Oct. 31, and had 13 points, including two goals, in 35 games there. . . .

F Malte Strömwall (Tri-City, 2011-13) signed a one-year contract with AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, with Växjö (Sweden, SHL), he had two goals in 21 games. He also had one goal and one assist in 21 games with Lulea (Sweden, SHL). On loan to Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had one goal in four games, and he had three goals in 12 games with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL). . . .

Darrell Hay (Tri-City, 1996-2000) has signed a one-year contract as a full-time assistant coach with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). This season, with Sheffield, the defenceman had six goals and 19 assists in 65 games. . . . Hay, the son of Kamloops Blazers head coach Don Hay, remains registered as an active player for Sheffield for next season.
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It’ll be the WHL-champion Kelowna Rockets and the host Quebec Remparts in the Memorial Cup semifinal tonight in Quebec City. . . . The winner will meet the OHL-champion Oshawa Generals in Sunday’s final. . . . The Remparts advanced with a 5-2 victory over the QMJHL-champion Rimouski Oceanic before only 6,533 fans on Thursday night. . . . Attendance through seven games is 59,669, an average of 8,524. . . . I seem to recall attendance, or the perceived lack of same, being something of a story when the tournament was held in Saskatoon in 2013. That tournament featured nine games and drew 82,503 fans, an average of 9,167. . . . There should be more than 10,000 fans in Quebec City tonight. . . . This was the 17th time these two teams have met this season; the Oceanic finished with a 10-5-2 edge. Rimouski also went into

the tiebreaker having won its last six games against the Remparts at the Pepsi Colisée. . . . The Oceanic had posted a 4-0 victory over the Remparts in a round-robin game on Wednesday. After that game, Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher ripped the officiating — both referees were from the QMJHL. On Thursday, Boucher was fined $10,000. . . . The Kelowna Rockets were fined $500 after someone from their organization was critical of the officiating following a 4-3 tournament-opening loss to the Remparts. . . . Presumably, the difference is that Boucher performed his surgery in public, while the Kelowna official did it in private to CHL officials. . . . Adam Proteau of The Hockey News has more on Boucher and his rant right here. . . . After last night’s game, Boucher told reporters: “"I told my daughter there's no vacation this summer.” . . . Last night’s referees were Brett Iverson of the WHL and the OHL’s Mike Cairns. . . . Quebec F Jerome Verrier scored twice, his first goals in 15 games, while F Anthony Duclair and F Marc-Olivier Roy scored their first goals in nine games. . . . Verrier and Duclair had both left Wednesday’s game with injuries. . . . F Jeremy Lepine pulled Rimouski into a 2-2 tie at 16:07 of the second period. . . . However, Quebec F Adam Erne scored 47 seconds later and Verrier made it 4-2 at 19:19. . . . Roy iced it with his goal at 11:31 of the third. . . . Quebec G Zach Fucale, who didn’t finished one night earlier, stopped 30 shots, four more than Rimouski’s Philippe Desrosiers. . . . The Remparts were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Oceanic was 1-for-3. . . . This is the final hockey event to be held in the Pepsi Colisée, and you can bet the Remparts are using that for motivation.

(1.) Rimouski & Quebec playing each other for 17th time this season. Announcer says "Unheard of!". How cute....

— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015

(2.). @SeattleTbirds and @pdxwinterhawks played each other 18 times this season. Have played 19 times in a season in the past.

— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015

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Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday, May 22: Kelowna 3 vs. Quebec 4 (9,497)
Saturday, May 23: Rimouski 3 vs. Oshawa 4 (8,409)
Sunday, May 24: Quebec 4 vs. Oshawa 5 (OT) (10,970)
Monday, May 25: Rimouski 3 vs. Kelowna 7 (6,981)
Tuesday, May 26: Oshawa 2 vs. Kelowna 1 (7,002)
Wednesday, May 27: Quebec 0 vs. Rimouski 4 (10,277)
Thursday, May 28 (tiebreaker): Quebec 5 vs. Rimouski 2 (6,533)
Friday (semifinal): Kelowna vs. Quebec, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday (championship): Oshawa vs. Kelowna/Quebec winner, 7 p.m.
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The Regina Pats did a bit of shuffling in their front office on Thursday. . . . John Paddock now is the senior vice-president of hockey operations, general manager and head coach, while assistant coach Dave Struch has added assistant GM to his duties. . . . Gord Pritchard, the director of corporate affairs, now is the assistant to the general manager. . . . The Pats also have extended the contracts of goaltender coach Rob Muntain, athletic therapist Greg Mayer and equipment manager Gord Cochran. . . . As well, they announced that assistant coach Darrin McKechnie won’t be returning. According to a news release, McKechnie, “an Inspector with the Regina Police Service (RPS), recently received a promotion.” . . . The Pats now are looking to add an assistant coach to their staff.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that Struch’s promotion is all part of the Pats’ succession plan.
From Harder’s story:
“There’s no question that we think Dave is our next head coach,” offered Pats president Todd Lumbard. “John has indicated that potentially his coaching days may be coming to an end, not right away, but at some point (in the not-too-distant future). Dave is the logical successor. If the timing can work out, that would be our plan for sure. John would move fully into the GM’s role and Dave would become our head coach. It’s not written in stone but that’s something we have talked about.”
Harder added: “The tentative plan is for the 60-year-old Paddock to remain behind the bench for the duration of his four-year contract, which he signed last summer to become the team’s head coach and senior vice-president of hockey operations. He absorbed the general manager’s title on Thursday as part of a minor shuffling of the hockey operations department, highlighted by Struch accepting a larger role.”
Harder also reported: “Although Struch was already under contract for the next three seasons, the Pats felt compelled to make a pre-emptive strike in order to keep him. He was regarded as a potential candidate for WHL head-coaching vacancies with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kootenay Ice and Vancouver Giants.
All three clubs are believed to have asked the Pats for permission to speak to him. According to sources, he was a leading candidate for the job in Lethbridge before pulling himself out of the running to stay in Regina.”
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Bruce Vance worked his last day with the Prince Albert Raiders on Thursday. He spent seven years with
the Lethbridge Hurricanes and 14 with the Raiders. He now is moving on to work for the City of Prince Albert.
In honour of his leaving the Raiders, we have this note from Liane Sadlemyer Vance:

BRUCE VANCE

I am posting this for Carrie Georgeson, Eryn Georgeson-Tait, Kim Pagé who have expressed sadness on this day that Bruce Vance is leaving the Prince Albert Raiders. I have known Bruce for almost 30 years and his nicknames and sayings get in your head and won't go away (just ask his children)!! So here are the top 10 Bruce Vance(isms) for you ladies to give you a laugh. And remember when you catch yourself saying them over and over again, you have Bruce to thank (please note these are Bruce Vance Raider(isms), he makes up new sets depending on his environment.
10. ARGOOOOOOOSSSS!!!! (This would be yelled at random times, not necessarily when the Argos are playing)
9. Corksoaker!
8. 4,5, 6!!
7. Meow (this is more of a sound as opposed to a saying)
6. Smile and nod...
5. It's a great day for hockey
4. NUGGET what are you doing????
3. NOTHING!!!
2. Let's do this, it's our time
1. Win or lose..........
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THE COACHING GAME:

Geoff Grimwood, who had been working with the Victoria Royals, is the new general manager and head coach of the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers. . . . Grimwood spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Royals. He also oversaw the major midget South Island Royals for parts of three seasons. . . . Before that, he was an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Powell River Kings for two seasons. . . . He replaces Rockie Zinger, whose contract wasn’t renewed.
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If your organization is making a change or has vacancies that you are trying to fill, email Taking Note at gregg@takingnote.ca, and I’ll let the hockey crowd that follows this blog know all about it.
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In the AHL, the visiting Utica Comets scored a 4-1 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins last night, to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal. F Sven Baertschi scored Utica’s first three goals. . . . Baertschi, who was acquired by the parent Vancouver Canucks from the Calgary Flames during the season, scored three second-period goals in a span of 8:36. . . . Utica F Jake Virtanen, who played this season with the Calgary Hitmen, drew an assist on Baertschi’s third goal. That was Virtanen’s first professional point. . . . Attendance was 5,122. . . . The Comets and Griffins will play again tonight and Sunday in Grand Rapids. . . .
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F Radel Fazleev of the Calgary Hitmen has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. Fazleev, 19, was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round of the NHL’s 2014 draft. . . . A native of Kazan, Russia, he had 51 points, including 18 goals, in 71 games this season, his second with the Hitmen. . . .
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The Brandon Wheat Kings revealed earlier in the week that they have sold more than 1,200 season-tickets with two weeks left before their early bird deadline. A year ago, with two weeks to the deadline, the Wheat Kings said they had sold 1,100 season-tickets. A year ago, when the deadline arrived in June, that total was at 1,600. . . . The Wheat Kings, who lost in the WHL’s championship final earlier this month, are expected to contend again next season.
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“Rowan Stringer’s fatal head injury on a high school rugby field could have been prevented if those around her had some basic knowledge of concussion management, an internationally renowned concussion expert told an inquest Thursday into the teenager’s death,” writes Chris Cobb of the Ottawa Citizen. “Despite the proliferation of publicly available information about concussions and concussion management, Toronto neurologist Charles Tator said, it is a major concern that none of it appears to have reached Rowan, her peers, coaches or teachers.” . . . Stringer, 17, died in May 2013, four days after being injured. . . . The inquest in Ottawa has been ongoing and the jury is expected to bring back recommendations next week. . . . Cobb’s story is right here.
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These are interesting days with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, with Klay Thompson appearing to have suffered a concussion on Wednesday night, just a couple of nights after Steph Curry, the league’s MVP, took a hard fall and landed on his head. . . . Jesus Gomez of sbnation.com has more right here.
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And so it begins. #newboards #whlcanes #yql pic.twitter.com/t1zp2C9DzJ

— LethbridgeHurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) May 28, 2015

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Codey Burki (Brandon, 2002-07) signed a one-year contract extension with Lausanne (Switzerland, NL A). Burki, who holds dual Canadian-Swiss citizenship, had 12 goals and 17 assists in 39 games this season. Lausanne won the NL B Championship and promotion to NL A for next season. . . .
D Vladimir Mihalik (Red Deer, Prince George, 2005-07) signed a two-year contract extension with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). He had two goals in 15 games with Slovan this season.
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A little of this and some of that . . .
1. The line of the night goes to Les Lazaruk, the veteran play-by-play voice of the Saskatoon Blades. It was the middle of the second period when Lazaruk commented that the fans were really into the game “complaining about everything.” . . . Pause . . . Then he added: “I’d swear it was Moose Jaw.”
2. Bob Wilkie, who won a Memorial Cup in Saskatoon the last time the tournament was played in Saskatoon, is the new director of player development and scouting for the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks. Wilkie, who is from Calgary, was a defenceman with the Swift Current Broncos when they beat the Blades in the final of the 1989 tournament.
3. There will be a lot of talk about the hit by Saskatoon D Dalton Thrower on Portland F Taylor Leier in the first period. . . . If you haven’t seen it, it’s right here.
4. At this point of the Memorial Cup, all disciplinary situations are handled by the NHL’s Hockey Operations department. The people there will be taking a whole lot of looks at Thrower’s hit and will make a decision (suspend or not) early today. . . . Meanwhile, I would be surprised if Leier, who was awfully woozy as he left the ice, plays again in this tournament.
5. The Winterhawks filled Leier’s spot on their second line, alongside Chase De Leo and Oliver Bjorkstrand, with Paul Bittner, a 6-foot-4, 195-pounder from Crookston, Minn. And he was a factor in Portland’s second goal, De Leo’s score that put the Winterhawks up 2-1 at 4:08 of the third period. . . . This really spotlights Portland’s depth. Don’t forget that the Winterhawks lost three of their top four scorers from last season (F Sven Baertschi, F Brad Ross and D Joe Morrow) and really didn’t miss a beat.
6. I’m thinking that Portland F Brendan Leipsic was kind of busy in the second intermission, because that’s when word broke on Twitter that he had signed with the NHL’s Nashville Predators. Must have faxed the contract in from the Winterhawks’ dressing quarters. . . . He then came out and scored his first goal of the tournament at 6:27 of the third period, and that one proved to be the winner. . . . (Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports reported later that Leipsic actually signed on Sunday.)
7. Attendance was 9,239, so cue the groans. . . . The London Knights, the host team for the 2014 tournament, have announced that ticket packages will sell for between $600 and $680. They play in the 9,100-seat Budweiser Gardens. If they are able to create a demand for tickets, they’ll sell out. The Blades, who play in the 15,195-seat Credit Union Centre, aren’t able to create a demand for tickets.
8. After Portland F Ty Rattie scored his fourth goal of the tournament in the third period, WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) tweeted: “450 — If you count up his reg season, playoff, & MC points.. You'll see that @pdxwinterhawks Ty Rattie just recorded the 450th of his career.”
9. The Blades meet the London Knights in the tiebreaker game tonight, with the winner moving on to play the Winterhawks in the semifinal game on Friday. . . . The Halifax Mooseheads are into Sunday’s final.
10. Driving home from work on Wednesday night, I noticed two gas stations charging $1.41.9 for a litre of regular gasoline. That’s up seven cents a litre from earlier in the day and 30 cents from February.
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The Vancouver Giants have placed D Tyler Nanne, 17, on their protected list and are working hard in an attempt to land the grandson of former Minnesota North Stars icon Lou Nanne. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province has more right here.
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Well, Wenatchee, Wash., wasn’t without the NAHL for long. Just a few days after the Wild announced that it was relocating to Hidalgo, Texas, the Fresno Monsters have revealed that they will be moving to Wenatchee. . . . One of the reasons the Wild left was an inability to reach a lease agreement with the Town Toyota Center; the Monsters apparently had no such problem. . . . Michelle McNiel of the Wenatchee World reports that the NAHL board of governors is to meet today and Friday, and approval for the move is expected to be granted.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Geoff Grimwood is return for a second season as the head coach of the B.C. Major Midget League’s South Island Royals, who play out of Victoria. The Royals were 11-22-7 last season. . . . Grimwood also is an part-time assistant coach with the WHL’s Victoria Royals. . . . Rob Milliken has signed on as an associate coach alongside Grimwood. Milliken coached the major midget team from 2005-10.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Darrell Hay (Tri-City, 1996-2000) signed a one-year contract with Cortina (Italy, Serie A). Last season, he had one goal in 20 games with Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga) before transferring to Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga), where he had one goal and seven assists in 32 games. . . .
Alba Volan Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga) announced the signing of F Eric Johansson (Tri-City, 1997-2002) to a one-year contract extension and F Frank Banham (Saskatoon, 1992-1996) to a one-year contract. Johansson had six goals and 15 assists in 21 games for Alba Volan, while Banham had 19 goals and 23 assists in 47 games for Medvescak Zagreb (Croatia, Austria Erste Bank Liga) last season. . . .
F Steven Goertzen (Seattle, 2001-04) signed a two-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). He had two goals and one assist in 43 games with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga) last season. Goertzen indicated in the club's press release that he plans to attend the University of Sheffield while playing for the Steelers.
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Peter Anholt, one of the winningest coaches in WHL history, is back with the Seattle Thunderbirds. General manager Russ Farwell announced Thursday that Anholt had been added to the team’s scouting staff. "Peter will concentrate on the player pool already drafted or already playing in the WHL,” Farwell said. "Peter will . . . allow us to do a more in-depth evaluation of the current WHL player pool." Anholt, who spent last season scouting Saskatchewan for the Red Deer Rebels, spent three seasons (1989-91) as Seattle’s head coach, going 127-77-12 coaching record. . . . Anholt, with 450 regular-season coaching victories, is one of 12 men in WHL history to have surpassed the 400-victory barrier. . . . Seattle also announced that it has added Ross Patterson of Calgary to its scouting staff. He will add to the coverage in Alberta.
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The Portland Winterhawks have signed Danish F Oliver Bjorkstrand, who was the 26th selection in the CHL’s 2012 import draft. Bjorkstrand played last season with the Herning Blue Fox of Denmark’s top pro league, putting up 26 points, including 13 goals, in 36 games. He was the league’s top-scoring 16-year-old, by 21 points, as the Blue Fox won the league championship. . . . He also played for Denmark at the 2012 World Junior Championship, scoring two goals. At the 2012 U-18 World tournament, he had seven points in six games.
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THE COACHING GAME:
It would seem that Rich Preston, the GM and head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, will be staying put. There had been speculation that Preston was in the running for an assistant coaching position with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. But it seems the Kings have signed former St. Louis Blues head coach Davis Payne. . . .
Whoops! It was mentioned here yesterday that Geoff Grimwood is the new head coach of the South Island Royals. I had the right team but the wrong league. The Royals play in the B.C. Major Midget League. They aren’t a junior B squad. . . . Thanks to the two folks who pointed out the error and apologies all around.

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The rights to another 20-year-old goaltender are on the move within the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks having claimed veteran Cam Lanigan off waivers from the Kamloops Blazers.
The move was confirmed Wednesday night by Mike Johnston, the Winterhawks' general manager and head coach.
Lanigan, who had been acquired by Kamloops from the Edmonton Oil Kings for goaltender Jon Groenheyde during 2010-11, went into training camp in August with the opportunity to be the Blazers' starter. However, Cole Cheveldave, then 18, won the job and kept it until he suffered a concussion during a second-round series with the Winterhawks.
Cheveldave went down in Game 2 as the Blazers lost 4-1 to fall behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Lanigan stepped in as the starter and the series went seven games, with Portland winning the last game, 2-0.
Lanigan becomes the second 20-year-old goaltender on the Portland roster, along with Mac Carruth. However, Carruth has signed with the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and could play in their organization.
The Winterhawks would seem to be looking for a veteran goaltender to provide support until Brendan Burke, 17, the son of former NHL goaltender Sean Burke, is ready to take over as No. 1.
Assuming Lanigan reports to camp with the Winterhawks, he will find other competition in Jarrod Schamerhorn, a 17-year-old from Kelowna who played last season with the junior B Golden Rockets, and Brendan Jensen, a 19-year-old from La Granada, Calif. Jensen has played in 40 WHL games, all of them with the Vancouver Giants, who dealt his rights to Portland in January. Jensen played most of last season with the AJHL's Spruce Grove Saints.
The Blazers, meanwhile, will go to camp with Cheveldave, 19, and Taran Kozun, 18, as their top two goaltenders.
The Blazers began last season with Cheveldave, Lanigan and Kozun on their roster. Early in the season, Kozun was sent to the SJHL's Nipawin Hawks.
There now have been five 20-year-old goaltenders change teams this season. Earlier this week, the Brandon Wheat Kings dealt Brandon Anderson's WHL rights to the Everett Silvertips. Earlier, Luke Siemens moved from the Moose Jaw Warriors to the Prince Albert Raiders, Ty Rimmer went from the Tri-City Americans to Lethbridge, and Brandon Glover was traded by the Calgary Hitmen to the Seattle Thunderbirds.
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The Portland Winterhawks are back on the radio, having signed a multi-year deal (specifics not revealed) with KPAM 860 AM. According to a news release, the station will broadcast all regular-season and playoff games live, with exceptions when the Winterhawks play day games. . . . The deal also includes a weekly hour-long show on Northwest Sports Tonight that will include the taking of phone calls. . . . The team will continue to operate its Winterhawks Radio Network at winterhawks.com. According to a news release, "The Winterhawks Radio Network will continue to broadcast all games, along with exclusive interviews, podcasts and shows for fans eager for more team-related content 24 hours a day, seven days a week." . . . Todd Vrooman will be the play-by-play voice of the Winterhawks on KPAM.
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F Brendan Hurley, 19, has signed with the MJHL's Dauphin Kings. Hurley has played with the Kootenay Ice and Medicine Hat Tigers. He was with the Ice when it won the WHL championshp in 2010-11. Hurley was the 15th overall selection in the 2008 bantam draft. . . . In 173 games, he had 24 points and 278 penalty minutes. . . . The Tigers acquired Hurley from the Ice in January for a third-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft.
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Geoff Grimwood has been named head coach of the junior B South Island Royals, who play in the Vancouver Island junior league. The franchise, formerly the South Island Thundebirds, has been renamed under a partnership deal with the WHL's Victoria Royals. . . . For the last two seasons, Grimwood was an assistant coach with the BCHL's Powell River Kings. . . . Under terms of the agreement with the WHL team, Victoria GM Cameron Hope said in a news release that "Geoff will also have a role with the Victoria Royals as a member of head coach Dave Lowry's staff."
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The Prince Albert Raiders D Tyler Hart and F Austin Bourhis, both of whom are 20 years of age. . . . Hart, who was acquired from the Vancouver Giants in September, had six points and 96 penalty minutes in 43 games with the Raiders. . . . Bourhis had nine assists and 274 penalty minutes in 112 games over two seasons with the Raiders. . . . Both players have cleared WHL waivers and are free agents.
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Brad Priestlay, a former WHL player (Portland, Prince Storm George, 2000-04) , has been named head coach of the junior B Kamloops of the Kootenay International junior league. Priestlay takes over from Geoff Smith, who has moved on after one season as head coach. Smith has taken a new job that won't allow him the time to work as the team's head coach.

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