Hitmen closing in on GM/head coach? ... Calgary signs draft pick ... Ex-WHLers in NHL coaching mix

F Ian McDonald (Tri-City, 2000-06) has signed a one-year contract with Gherdëina Selva Val Gardena (Italy, Alps HL). Last season, with Corona Brașov (Romania, MOL Liga), he had 26 goals and 36 assists in 38 games. He led his team in assists and was fourth in the league’s scoring race. . . .

F Martin Erat (Saskatoon, Red Deer, 1999-2001) has signed a one-year extension with Kometa Brno (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Last season, he had 13 goals and 23 assists in 39 games. . . .

F Jared Aulin (Kamloops, 1997-2002) has signed a one-year extension with Rapperswil-Jona (Switzerland, NL B). Last season, he had 19 goals and 35 assists in 47 games. . . .

F Brett Sonne (Calgary, 2004-10) has signed a one-year contract with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus). Last season, he had 10 goals and 21 assists in 37 games with Herlev (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). . . . Angers’ head coach is Brett’s older brother, Brennan (Everett, Red Deer, Edmonton, 2005-08; assistant coach Everett, 2014-17).

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Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

To all who took the time to offer congratulations after Taking Note was awarded a Paul Carson Award for a third straight year, thank you so much. It really means a lot.

There is no doubt in my mind that the best part of social media — like Facebook and Twitter — is the way it allows people to be in touch and to stay in touch. Once again, this all was proof of that.

Thanks again.

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The Calgary Hitmen have signed F Ryder Korczak to a WHL contract. He was a second-round selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. Last season, he had 27 goals and 56 assists in 30 games with the bantam AA Yorkton Terriers. He also played two games with the midget AAA Yorkton Maulers, recording two assists. . . . His older brother, Kaedan, was a first-round selection by the Kelowna Rockets in the 2016 bantam draft. Kaedan, a defenceman, played four regular-season and five playoff games with Kelowna last season.

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Meanwhile, the Hitmen continue their search for a general manager and a head coach.

They need a GM after the parent Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation moved Mike Moore, who also had been vice-president of business operations, to vice-president and alternate governor on May 15. Moore, a veteran of 20 seasons in the WHL, 10 of them with Calgary, had been the GM through four seasons.

The Hitmen need a head coach because Mark French, who signed a multi-year extension a year ago, left late last month to take over as head coach of the Fribourg-Gottéron Dragons of Swizerland’s NL A. French had spent three seasons as Calgary’s head coach.

There has been speculation that the Hitmen have shown interest in having Tim Hunter fill both positions. Hunter, 56, is preparing for his fourth season as the head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who announced on June 2 that he had signed a contract extension, the length of which wasn’t revealed.

It’s doubtful that the Warriors would release Hunter from his contract were he to move to another coaching position, but they almost certainly would let him go were he to take a GM/head coach job.

Hunter has some history with Calgary, having played nine full seasons (1983-92) and parts of two others with the Flames, who, like the Hitmen, are controlled by CSEC.

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Former WHL/NHL tough guy Rudy Poeschek now is facing a charge of failing to appear in court after missing a June 2 court date at which he was to have been tried on a charge of breaching probation. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. . . . Tim Petruk of Kamloops This Week has more right here.

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As you were laying in bed last night, you were wondering: Whatever happened to Peter Pocklington? . . . Well, the man who traded Wayne Gretzky — or did he sell him? — from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings is living in Palm Desert, Calif., and continuing to ponder ways to make money. Marty Klinkenberg has a look at Pocklington 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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The NHL’s Minnesota Wild are searching for an assistant coach to replace former NHL hitter Scott Stevens, who left the team after the season. According to Michael Russo of the Minneapolis StarTribune, Bob Woods, a former WHL player who did a turn as the Saskatoon Blades’ GM/head coach, “is the likely frontrunner.” . . . That’s because Woods has a long history with Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau, having coached alongside him with the AHL’s Hershey Bears and the NHL’s Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks. . . . Woods spent last season as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, but they have a new general manager (Jason Botterill) and a new head coach (Phil Housley) so change is in the wind. . . . Russo also speculates that a couple of other former WHLers — Ryan McGill and Dean Chynoweth — may be in the mix in Minnesota. McGill is the head coach of the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack. Chynoweth didn’t coach last season after spending the previous season as the head coach of the San Antonio Rampage, the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate. . . . According to Russo, Boudreau wants “a former defenceman with NHL experience.” McGill and Chynoweth both played and coached in the NHL.

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Back on the ice for the first time since ACL surgery in February. #RoadToRecovery pic.twitter.com/u8EQpPSh2F

— Jake Leschyshyn (@JakeLeschyshyn7) June 17, 2017

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Strat-O-Matic memories . . . Winterhawks sign two key forwards . . . Raiders D-man gets NHL deal

I have heard from an amazing number of people since Friday night when word got out that the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame had honoured me with its Bernie Pascall Media Award.
Friends and acquaintances have contacted me via Twitter, email, Facebook, text and the good old-fashioned telephone.
Two people I heard from on Monday brought back some terrific memories.

It began when Les Lazaruk, a long-time friend who is the veteran — that means old! — radio voice of the Saskatoon Blades tweeted this:

Great honour for great man and friend @gdrinnan...received the Bernie Pascal Media Award at the BC Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

— Les Lazaruk (@Bladesvoice) July 27, 2015

Les then followed that with:

Previous about @gdrinnan a little late...my apologies. Took weekend away from phone. He should be in the Hall for rolling "1-5s" in Strato!

— Les Lazaruk (@Bladesvoice) July 27, 2015

Darrell Davis, with whom I shared more than a few good times while we both were at the Regina Leader-Post, chimed in with:

@Bladesvoice @gdrinnan-- I saw lots of those Strato 1-5s. Congrats @gdrinnan!

— Darrell Davis (@DarrellDavisSK) July 27, 2015

If you aren’t familiar, Strato refers to Strat-O-Matic baseball. Back in the day, a bunch of us, including Bill O’Donovan, now the news anchor at CFJC-TV in Kamloops, were involved in a Strat-O-Matic league that was, well, let’s just say it was interesting.
How intense was it? I remember driving home one night on Regina’s Ring Road — I lived in the east end and had been playing in the south end — after betting my butt kicked. If you haven’t played Strat-O-Matic, it involves dice and player cards. Well, on this night I decided it was time to teach the dice a lesson. So I stopped alongside a farmer’s field and threw them as far as I could. (A 1-5 meant home run with my best guys and I don't think I rolled enough of them on that night.)
I hadn’t thought of that night for a long, long time . . . before hearing from Les and Darrell. Yes, I chuckled at the memory.
However, I also remember the season in which I won the championship, my Top Cats beating John Chaput’s Zoo 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the ninth. The championship-winning blow — the Top Cats won the best-of-seven final in six games — was a sacrifice fly by Fred Lynn that scored Alan Trammell, who had reached on a fielder’s choice.
You can bet the memory of that night kept me warm all that winter.
I was going through some storage containers in our shed on Saturday when I came upon the Game 6 scoresheet. Yes, I kept it. Unfortunately, I have no idea what year that was.
All I know is that, although Les and Darrell may not agree, it was a very good year.
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F Ian McDonald (Tri-City, 2000-06) signed a one-year contract with MAC Budapest (Hungary, MOL Liga). Last season, with Briançon (France, Ligue Magnus), he had 12 goals and 10 assists in 26 games. . . .
D Juraj Valach (Tri-City, Vancouver, Regina, Red Deer, 2006-08) signed a one-year contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). He had been on a tryout with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL). Last season, with Slavia Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had six goals and seven assists in 43 games. . . .


F Jakub Klepiš (Portland, 2001-02) signed a one-year extension with Třinec (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Last season, he had six goals and five assists in 21 games with Färjestad Karlstad (Sweden, SHL) and 21 points, including seven goals, in 17 games with Třinec. . . .


F Edgars Kulda (Edmonton, 2012-15) signed a one-year contract with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL) after a successful tryout. Last season, with the Edmonton Oil Kings, he had 13 goals and 17 assists in 47 games. On Thursday, he played in a 3-1 exhibition game victory over Lada Togliatti. He was on the first line with Lauris Dārziņš (Kelowna, 2004-06) and ex-NJ Devils C Tim Sestito.
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The Portland Winterhawks have signed both of their 2015 CHL import draft selections. . . . Both players — Latvian Rodrigo Abols and Swede Carl Ericson — are forwards. . . . Abols, 19, had 38 points, 20 of them goals, in 35 games last season with HK Riga of the Molodezhnaya Hockey League. He also got into 15 games with Dinamo Riga of the KHL, putting up a goal and four assists. He also played for Latvia at the IIHF World championship. . . . Ericson, 19, had 42 points, including 16 goals, in 43 games with Leksand’s U-20 side. He also got into 11 games with the Leksand team in the SHL, a Swedish pro league. . . . The Winterhawks may lose their top three scorers from last season — Oliver Bjorkstrand, Nic Petan and Chase De Leo — which means Abols and Ericson will be looked to for some offence. The Winterhawks will be wanting both to be in their top six forwards.
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Meanwhile, Vojtech Budik tweeted on Monday afternoon: “Next season I will play for @PARaidersHockey.” . . . Budik, a 17-year-old defenceman, is from Czech Republic. He was selected by the Raiders in the CHL’s 2015 import draft. . . . Last season, he had 12 points, including three goals, in 12 games with the Czech U-18 team, and added five assists in 19 games with the Czech U-20 side.
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If you are a Brandon Wheat Kings fan living in Manitoba, you are able to purchase a specialty license plate that salutes your favourite team. Brian Smiley, a spokesman with Manitoba Public Insurance, has told Brandon radio station CKLQ that almost 800 Manitoba motorists have purchased the plates, which go for $70 apiece. . . . CKLQ reports that “part of the proceeds from Wheat Kings plates go towards supporting the Brandon Humane Society.”
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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Dale DeGray, the general manager of the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack, has yet to hire a head coach, but he is down to a short list of three candidates. . . . DeGray is looking to replace Greg Ireland, who resigned earlier this month and now is the head coach of Adler Mannheim in Germany. . . . DeGray told Bill Walker of the Owen Sound Sun Times that he heard from more than 60 applicants. . . . DeGray hopes to have a coach in place before Aug. 6. He is managing Canada’s U-18 team that leaves then for Europe and the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament. . . . DeGray also told Walker that “I don't hire friends . . . I would prefer to keep friendships than to have to fire a coach and lose a friend. There are lots of qualified guys out there.” . . . Walker’s complete story is right here.
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The Buffalo Sabres have signed D Brendan Guhle of the Prince Albert Raiders to a three-year entry-level contract. The Sabres selected Gulhe, who turns 18 on Wednesday, in the second round of the NHL’s 2015 draft. . . . Guhle had 32 points, 27 of them assists, in 72 games with the Raiders last season. He has 42 points, including five goals, in 123 games over two seasons with Prince Albert. He is from Sherwood Park, Alta.
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With Stepan and Wilson signings today, teams have shelled out a total of $1,015,308,875 on 328 contracts since July 1. #onebilliondollars

— General Fanager (@generalfanager) July 27, 2015

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Winterhawks close in on GM/head coach

F Ian McDonald (Tri-City, 2000-06) signed a one-year contract with Briançon (France, Ligue Magnus). Last season, with Beibarys Atyrau (Kazakhstan, Vysshaya Liga), he had a team-leading 57 points, including 27 goals, in 54 games. He finished seventh in the league’s scoring race.
F Brad Schell (Spokane, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Herning (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Last season, with Rossoblu Milan (Italy, Serie A), he had 45 points, including a team-leading 35 assists, in 38 games. . . .
F Jozef Balej (Portland, 1999-2002) signed a one-year contract with Plzeň (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Last season, with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had 14 points, eight of the goals, in 37 games.
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1. The Portland Winterhawks are looking for a replacement for Mike Johnston, who had been their GM/head coach since October 2008. Johnston signed on as head coach of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins last month. . . . How close are the Winterhawks to signing someone? . . . “Should have an announcement on a new head coach very shortly,” a Portland insider told me on Friday. . . . When queried as to whether the Winterhawks were on the verge of hiring a GM or a GM/head coach, the response was “GM/head coach combo.”

2. The Prince George Cougars have hired Michael Hengen as what their news release called “an assistant/strength and conditioning coach.” . . . Hengen, from Surrey, B.C., spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. . . . Hengen, 26, was selected by the Swift Current Broncos in the fifth round of the 2002 bantam draft. He split 226 WHL regular-season games between the Broncos, Edmonton Oil Kings, Moose Jaw Warriors, Calgary Hitmen and Saskatoon Blades. . . . With the Cougars, Hengen will work alongside head coach Mark Holick.

3. The Swift Current Broncos have signed Josh Dixon to a three-year contract as their associate coach. Dixon spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Regina Pats. He left last month after being unable to reach a contract agreement with the Pats’ new owners. . . . In Swift Current, Dixon will work with GM/head coach Mark Lamb. . . . With the Broncos, Dixon also will be responsible for all off-ice training and what Lamb referred to as “the fitness aspect of the Broncos organization.” . . . Dixon fills the void created when Darren Evjen resigned after four seasons.

4. The Regina Pats have re-signed goaltending coach Rob Muntain for another season. He is preparing for his fourth season working with Regina’s goaltenders. Muntain, an officer in the Regina Police Service, is a former WHL goaltender (Brandon, 1995-96), who has worked with the Saskatchewan Hockey Association and Hockey Canada. . . . The Pats also are working to sign a head coach and two assistant coaches.

5. Kris Mallette has signed on as an assistant coach with the Kelowna Rockets. He will work with head coach Dan Lambert, who was promoted after five seasons as an assistant coach. Former head coach Ryan Huska now is head coach of the Adirondack Flames, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. . . . Mallette (Kelowna, Moose Jaw, 1996-2000) spent last season as an associate coach with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.

6. Through four days of NHL free agency, capgeek.com reports that 78 unrestricted free agents have signed for a total of US$560,950,000.


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Metropolitan Division? Really?

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Shawn Limpright (Moose Jaw, 1998-2002) signed a one-year contract with Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had 21 goals and 37 assists in 58 games with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite) last season. . . .
F Ian McDonald (Tri-City, 2000-06) signed a one-year contract with Beibarys Atyrau (Kazakhstan, Premier). He had 24 goals and 26 assists in 33 games with Rosenborg Trondheim (Norway, GET Ligaen) last season. . . .
F Riley Armstrong (Kootenay, Everett, 2002-04) signed a one-year contract with Landshut (Germany, DEL2). He had 16 goals and 21 assists in 38 games with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL) and was pointless in two games on loan to the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) last season. DEL2 is the new name for Germany’s 2. Bundesliga. . . .
F Ryan Keller (Saskatoon, 2001-05) signed a two-year contract with ZSC Zurich (Switzerland, NL A). He had 12 goals and 13 assists in 46 games with Genève-Servette (Switzerland, NL A) last season.
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There is news on the brain injury front.
Michael Tarm of The Associated Press writes: “Attorneys suing the NCAA over its handling of head injuries asked a federal judge Friday to let them expand the lawsuit nationwide to include thousands of plaintiffs in a case they contend could change college sports forever.”
That complete story is right here.
As Tarm points out: “The NFL is mired in a lawsuit involving more than 4,000 former players seeking millions of dollars for problems they blame on head injuries during their careers. The NCAA could wind up in a similar situation.”
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F Kirklan Lycar, 16, has signed with the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings. Lycar, from Gillam, Man., was a fourth-round selection by Brandon in the 2012 bantam draft. Last season, he played for the midget AAA Eastman Selects. . . . Lycar is represented by Turning Point Sports Management.
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If you are going to attend the third annual Hockey Coaches Conference in Burnaby, B.C., next month, please note that it will be held at the Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre. . . . According to a news release, “Delegates attending the conference are offered an exclusive discounted rate when staying at the hotel during the conference.” . . . To get a room there, call 604-453-0755 or 1-888-890-3222, and ask for The Coaches Site block of rooms for discounted room rates. You should book by Aug. 5 as the rooms have sold out in the past. . . . If you’re thinking about attending the conference, please note that it is 80 per cent sold out.
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Yes, NHL players will get to perform in the Winter Olympics once again. This time, the Games are scheduled for Sochia, Russia, and, according to columnist Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star, the 2014 Winter Games could prove to be a fiasco of Olympian proportions. . . . That piece is right here.
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It would seem that a mother in a small town in Romania has burned seven paintings valued at hundreds of millions of dollars in an attempt to protect her son who has been accused of being involved in their theft. This is intriguing stuff right here.
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The Metropolitan Division? Really, NHL? . . . There's more right here.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Andri Sriubko (Kamloops, 1994-95) signed a one-year contract with Kuban Krasnodar (Russia, Vysshaya Liga). He had two goals and eight assists in 43 games with Molot-Prikamie Perm (Russia, Vysshaya Liga) this season. . . .
F Ian McDonald (Tri-City, 2001-05) signed a one-year contract with Rosenborg (Norway, GET-Ligaen). He had 37 goals and 51 assists in 41 games for Eaters Geleen (Netherlands, Eredivisie) this season. McDonald was third in Eredivisie scoring in leading Eaters to the Dutch championship.
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The Norfolk Admirals won Game 3 of the AHL’s championship final on Thursday night, beating the host Toronto Marlies 1-0 in overtime. . . . And the victory came on one of those goals where a defenceman (Mike Kostka) dumped the puck in, the goaltender (Ben Scrivens) went behind the net to play it, except the puck hit a stanchion and bounced into the vacated net at 9:09 of the first OT period. . . . Wait! It gets better. . . . A Norfolk player was offside on the play. . . . “It’s a real interesting one for the referees,” Marlies head coach Dallas Eakins told James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail. “The puck goes out, the puck’s rimmed in, there’s a guy that’s offside by about eight to 10 feet, the puck hits the stanchion but now he’s onside, and it goes in your net. . . . It’s a fairly grey area. Once again something I’ve never seen. I’m sure the referees have never seen anything like that either.”
Mirtle later reported that, based on an AHL rule, the goal should not have counted.
Mirtle cited this rule from the AHL rule book:
“83.4 Disallowed Goal – If the puck is shot on goal during a delayed offside, the play shall be allowed to continue under the normal clearing-the-zone rules. Should the puck, as a result of this shot, enter the defending team’s goal, either directly or off the goalkeeper, a player or an official on the ice, the goal shall be disallowed as the original shot was off-side. The fact that the attacking team may have cleared the zone prior to the puck entering the goal has no bearing on this ruling.”
Mirtle’s story is right here.
The video of the goal in question is right here.
Kiel Murchison, a regular in WHL arenas, was one of the linesmen involved in the game.
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JUST NOTES:
The Tri-City Americans have signed F Braden Purtill to a WHL contract. He was a third-round selection — the Americans’ second overall pick — in the 2012 bantam draft. Playing for the bantam AAA Sharks, he put up 87 points, including 33 goals, in 48 games this season. . . .
The Red Deer Rebels have signed F Adam Musil, the sixth overall selection in last month’s bantam draft. Musil, the younger brother of Vancouver Giants D David Musil, had 98 points, 58 of them goals, in 60 games with the Burnaby Winter Club Bruins this season. The Musil boys are the sons of former NHL D Frank Musil.
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And a tip of the hat to the QMJHL for dumping the trapezoid.
Yes, it’s true. The QMJHL, ignoring an NHL rule, has done away with the area behind each net in which goaltenders are allowed to play the puck.
Starting with the 2012-13 season, the trapezoid lines will be gone and goaltenders will be allowed to play the puck anywhere on the ice.
The NHL and other leagues added the trapezoid for the 2005-06 season.

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Canucks up 2-0 on Bruins!

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Marcel Hossa (Portland, 1998-2001) signed a one-year contract with Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had 16 goals and 15 assists in 51 games with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL) last season.
F Ian McDonald (Tri-City, 2000-06) signed a one-year contract with Eaters Geleen (Netherlands, Eredivisie). He had 12 goals and 17 assists in 34 games with the Nottingham Panthers (UK, Elite) and one goal and five games in 10 games with Elmira Jackals (ECHL) last year.
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F David Rutherford (Vancouver, Spokane, 2004-08) has signed with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. Rutherford spent the last two seasons with the Central league’s Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. He helped the Mudbugs to the 2010-11 playoff championship, after which the franchise folded.
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THE COACHING GAME:
A few signings that were mentioned here earlier in the week were announced Tuesday. . . . The Regina Pats introduced Pat Conacher as their new head coach on Tuesday. Conacher, who replaces Curtis Hunt, had been the assistant GM/assistant head coach with the Victoria Royals. The Pats have yet to sign an assistant coach, while the Royals obviously now are in the market for one. . . . The Regina Leader-Post’s Craig Slater has more on the Conacher signing right here. . . .  Of course, this means that the Royals are in the market for an assistant coach. Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has that story right here. . . . The BCHL’s Westside Warriors signed Rylan Ferster as their GM and head coach, and gave him a three-year contract. He takes over from Darren Yopyk, who has joined the scouting staff of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. . . . In the college world, Western Michigan University has signed former NHL coach Andy Murray as its head coach. He got a five-year deal. Murray takes over from Jeff Blashill, who now is an assistant coach with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. . . .
Spencer Carbery is the new head coach of the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. He was an assistant with the Stingrays last season. Carbery takes over from Cail MacLean, who signed on as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat.
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BC Hockey is holding its U17 provincial camp this week in Salmon Arm, which means the competition for the Ted Hargraves Cup is rolling. . . . In the first game, on Monday, the Canucks beat the Bruins, 3-2, in a shootout. F Curtis Lazar and F Nick Petan gave the Canucks a 2-0 second-period lead, with F Riley Hunt and F Sam Reinhart, the latter early in the third, pulling the Bruins even. The Canucks took the shootout, 2-0, on goals by F Chase Witala and Petan. . . . On Tuesday, the Canucks went to 2-0 with a 4-2 victory over the Bruins. Petan, F Dryden Hunt, D Joseph Carvalho and F Ryan Forbes scored for the Canucks, with Riley Hunt and Jackson Houck replying for the Bruins. Carvalho broke a 2-2 tie at 3:30 of the third period, with Forbes adding an empty-netter. The teams were tied 2-2 after one period and played through a scoreless second period. . . . They’ll play again today at 2 p.m., at the Sunwave Centre.
David Michaud, the assistant director of operations, reports from the camp:
“There are 41 players in camp. We will shortlist 20 or so and will eventually take that down to the 11 players who will combine with 11 players from Alberta to play for Team Pacific at the 2012 World Hockey Challenge.”
As an added note, Hockley Canada is expected to announce one of these days that the WHC is being moved from Winnipeg to Windsor, Ont., thanks to the rebirth of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets.
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JUST NOTES: Kelly Moore, a former radio voice of the Kamloops Blazers, is heading back to Winnipeg. Moore, the program director at CJKC-FM (Country 103) in Kamloops, is going back to Winnipeg to work for CJOB as part of its coverage of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. Even though it didn’t get the play-by-play rights to the Jets, CJOB apparently is beefing up its hockey coverage. Moore was the radio voice of the Jets for their last two NHL seasons before they relocated to Phoenix. He also called the play for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose before returning to Kamloops to help Country 103 get off the ground. . . . Marc Paquet is the Everett Silvertips’ new athletic therapist. Paquet, 24, has a masters of education in kinesiology from Bowling Green State University. He spent the last two years at Bowling Green, where he was the supervising athletic trainer for men's soccer and softball and an assistant to men's hockey and football. He replaces Chris Walker, who left for the AHL. . . . The Edmonton Oil Kings have signed F Cole Benson, an Edmonton native who was the 178th pick in the 2010 bantam draft. Benson, 5-foot-7 and 148 pounds, played last season with the midget AAA South Side Athletic Club team, putting up 32 points, including 12 goals, in 29 regular-season games.

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