Otters bury Sea Dogs on record-setting night ... Strome sets points record ... Tulsa time's up for Christie

D Shaone Morrisonn (Kamloops, 1999-2002) has signed a one-year extension with Admiral Vladivostok (Russia, KHL). He had two assists in 11 games there this season. Morrisonn started the season with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL), scoring twice and adding four assists in 33 games. He was traded to Admiral on Dec. 25 for cash considerations. . . .

F Igor Bacek (Tri-City, 2005-06) has signed a one-year contract with the Hannover Indians (Germany, Oberliga). This season, with Halle (Germany, Oberliga), he had 20 goals and 31 assists in 44 games. He led his team in assists and points.

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Here you go: Despite all that has occurred, the TBirds are just 3 wins away from a Memorial Cup title. https://t.co/C99OAX07pF

— TBird Tidbits (@TBirdTidbits) May 23, 2017

The OHL-champion Erie Otters spun a few records on Monday as they drubbed the QMJHL-champion Saint John Sea Dogs, 12-5, at the Memorial Cup tournament in Windsor, Ont. . . . The Otters improved to 2-0, while the Sea Dogs fell to 0-2. . . . On Tuesday, the WHL-champion Seattle Thunderbirds (0-2) are scheduled to play the Sea Dogs. The winner moves into a semifinal game; the loser is eliminated. . . . On Wednesday, the Otters will meet the host Windsor Spitfires (2-0). The winner moves into Sunday’s final; the loser will play in the semifinal game. . . . There won’t be a tiebreaker game. . . .

Last night, Erie held period leads of 5-2 and 4-1, outshooting the Sea Dogs 17-4 and 16-8 in the process. . . . The Otters got four goals and three assists from F Dylan Strome, with F Taylor Raddysh adding two goals and four assists. . . . D Darren Raddysh scored two goals and had two helpers, with F Anthony Cirelli and F Alex DeBrincat each scoring once and adding three assists. . . . F Ivan Lodnia and F Kyle Maksimovich also scored for the Otters. . . . F Cedric Pare scored twice for Saint John, which got singletons from F Julien Gauthier, F Spencer Smallman and F Mathieu Joseph. . . . G Tony Timpano stopped 18 shots for Erie. . . . Saint John starter Callum Booth surrendered five goals on 14 shots in 16:27. Alex D’Orio came on in relief and stopped 18 of 25 shots in 43:33. . . . Erie was 5-7 on the PP; Saint John was 0-3. . . . 

Strome set a single-game record with seven points. That broke a record that had been shared by three players — F Joe Contini of the Hamilton Fincups, in an 8-4 victory over the New Westminster Bruins on May 12, 1976, in Montreal; F Guy Rouleau of the Hull Olympiques, who did it twice, in a 7-5 victory over the Portland Winterhawks on May 10, 1986, and six days later in a 9-3 victory over the Kamloops Blazers in Portland; and F Mike Mathers of the Blazers, who did it in an 8-3 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds on May 16, 1992. Rouleau had three goals and three assists against Portland, and two goals and four assists against Kamloops. Contini and Mathers each had three goals and three assists. . . . 

Strome scored four goals, one off the single-game record that was set by F Bruce Boudreau — yes, that Bruce Boudreau — of the Toronto Marlboros in a 10-4 victory over the Sherbrooke Castors on May 9, 1975, in Kitchener, Ont. . . . 

Erie now holds the single-game record for most goals, a mark that had been shared by the Quebec Remparts and Regina Pats. Quebec beat the St. Catharines Blackhawks, 11-3, on May 10, 1974, in Calgary. The Pats dumped the Cornwall Royals, 11-2, on May 8, 1980, in Regina. . . . Erie and Saint John also set a single-game record with the 17 combined goals. The previous record? The host Kitchener Rangers beat Kamloops, 9-7, on May 13, 1984. . . . OHL teams now have won 12 straight Memorial Cup games. . . . Announced attendance: 5,114.

Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun has a game story right here. He also spoke with D Ethan Bear of the Seattle Thunderbirds, who is trying to play through a hand injury.

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The host Cobourg, Ont., Cougars won the RBC Cup as national junior A champions on Sunday, beating the AJHL-champion Brooks Bandits, 3-2, in overtime. . . . The Cougars forced OT when Ryan Casselman scored with 1:07 left in the third period. . . . Nick Minerva of New Brunswick, N.J., won it all at 8:21 of OT. . . . According to Tyler King, the radio voice of the Bandits, they were 72-6-6 this season. . . . Cobourg had advanced to the final with a 3-1 semifinal victory over the BCHL-champion Penticton Vees on Saturday.

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Jason Christie won’t be back for a third season as head coach with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers. The team announced Monday that Christie “has decided not to return.” . . . The Oilers were 64-67-9-4 in two seasons under Christie, finishing ninth in the Western Conference in 2015-16 and 11th this season. . . . Christie, 48, holds the ECHL record for most career coaching victories (547). He also has been head coach of the Peoria Rivermen, Utah Grizzlies, and Ontario Reign. . . . A native of Gibbons, Alta., Christie played four seasons (1986-90) with the Saskatoon Blades.

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#Elvis is in the building for #MCMemorialCup action between @ErieOtters & @SJSeaDogs. #Otters lead #SeaDogs 5-2 after the 1st period. pic.twitter.com/lLvFFm1S27

— 2017 MC Memorial Cup (@MCMemorialCup) May 22, 2017

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Goaltender heads for Austria . . . Blades add a scout . . . Portland lands defenceman from Preds

F David Hájek (Spokane, 1998-99) signed a one-year contract with Heilbronner Falken (Germany, DEL2). Last season, with Bad Nauheim (Germany, DEL2), he had two goals and five assists in 12 games, and in 16 games with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, DEL2), he had two goals and six assists. . . .
F Igor Baček (Tri-City, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with the Hannover Scorpions (Germany, Oberliga). Last season, with Rostock (Germany, Oberliga), he put up 14 goals and 56 assists in 30 games. He led his team and division (Oberliga North) in assists. . . .
F Grant Toulmin (Swift Current, 2005-07, 2008-09) signed a one-year contract with the Manchester Storm (England, UK Elite). Last season, with Heilbronner Falken (Germany, DEL2), he had nine goals and 15 assists in 45 games.
F Jerred Smithson (Calgary, 1995-2000) signed a one-year contract with Herning (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Smithson didn’t play last season. In 2013-14, with the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), he was pointless in 19 games. He had two goals and nine assists in 51 games with the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
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Another American-born player is headed for Austria and the EC Red Bull Salzburg organization.
On Friday, G Nick Vilardo tweeted: “Excited to announce I've signed with EC Red Bull Salzburg organization in Austria. Thankful for the opportunity. All glory to Jesus #RedBull”
Vilardo is an 18-year-old from Clarence, N.Y., who played last season with the U-18 Buffalo Jr. Sabres. In 50 games, he was 1.93 and .923. He also was 2.30 and .901 with the U-18 Jr. Sabres. This season, he appeared ticketed for the NAHL’s Topeka Roadrunners, until choosing to head for Austria.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that F Ryan Savage and F Carson Dimoff, both of Scottsdale, Ariz., had agreed to join the Red Bulls organization.
Meanwhile, F Riley Stotts of Winnipeg, a first-round-selection by the Swift Current Broncos in the 2015 bantam draft, is pondering an offer to join Red Bull but apparently has yet to make a decision.
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The Saskatoon Blades have added Cody Nickolet to their scouting staff. This is an excellent more for the Blades and, of course, for Nickolet, but likely not for WHL fans.
Nickolet, whose Twitter handle is @CodyNickolet, had a banner 2014-15 hockey season. An avid WHL follower, he took it upon himself to make available line combinations and defence pairings for both teams in every regular-season game. He also has tweeted all kinds of WHL-related.
And anyone who took a look at his 2015 NHL draft rankings, well, was there anything available to the general public that was more comprehensive?
One day, Nickolet will be working for an NHL team. Bet on it being sooner than later.
In the meantime, the Blades will be the beneficiaries of his expertise.
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The Portland Winterhawks received an enormous boost on Friday with the news that D Jack Dougherty, 19, had signed with the NHL’s Nashville Predators. Dougherty, a second-round pick by Nashville in the NHL’s 2014 draft, played last season with the U of Wisconsin Badgers.
Upon signing Dougherty, the Predators announced that he is expected to start the season in Portland. Because he was drafted off an NCAA team’s roster, and not a major junior team, Dougherty is eligible to play in the AHL at 19.
Dougherty, from St. Paul, Minn., had nine points, two of them goals, in 33 games during his freshman season with the Badgers.
In 2013-14, he was in the U.S. National Team Development Program. In 23 USHL games, he had 12 points, including four goals, in 23 games. In 55 games with the U-18 national team, he had 22 points, including six goals, in 55 games. He is a candidate to play for the U.S. national junior team this time around.
Here’s Future Considerations on Dougherty: “Dougherty is an intelligent defenseman who tries to blend strong positioning while trying to inflict a physical dimension on his opponent. He isn't the fleetest of foot, but does get where he needs to go. He also makes a strong first pass and has solid offensive instincts.”
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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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Dave Dupas, 53, has signed on as an assistant coach with the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Dupas, who is from Burnaby, B.C., was the head coach of the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings for the previous four-plus seasons. . . . In Fort McMurray, he will work with GM/head coach Tom Keca.
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Schloß Schönbrunn | Schloss Schönbrunn | Vienna, Austria #whlcanes #travelingpuck pic.twitter.com/4R6ycYZZw7

— Kathy Hong (@kayyhong) July 25, 2015

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The WHL bantam draft is being held today in Calgary. You won’t find anything on that draft here, simply because no one covers it better than Alan Caldwell at Small Thoughts At Large.
So please visit his link over there on the right for the best draft coverage available.
If you haven’t been there before on draft day, he always has the numbers on as many drafted players as possible.
Earlier this week, he posted the round-by-round order of selection, including all trades.
Yes, he already is the draft-day MVP. Again!
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
The KHL announced the addition of two new teams for next season — Medvescak Zagreb and Vladivostok. Croatian media reports that Zagreb will operate with a budget of 10 million Euros, the smallest in the KHL. (Dynamo Moscow and SKA St. Petersburg have the highest budget at 52 million Euros.) The report by www.24sata.hr goes on to say that the club has added 15 players from North America of Croatian descent to
their protected list, among them Cory Sarich and Mark Fistric. . . .

D Gennadi Razin (Kamloops, 1996-98) signed a one-year contract and F Sergei Varlamov (Swift Current, 1995-98) signed a one-year contract extension with Donbass Donetsk (Ukraine, KHL). Razin had five assists in 47 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL) and Varlamov had eight goals and 10 assists in 48 games with Donbass this season. . . .


F Nigel Dawes (Kootenay, 2001-05) and F Dustin Boyd (Moose Jaw, 2002-06) signed two-year contract extensions with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). Boyd had 15 goals and 16 assists in 51 games and
Dawes had 20 goals and 14 assists in 51 games with Barys this season. . . .

 


F Filip Novak (Regina, 1999-2002) signed a two-year contract extension with Dynamo Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had four goals and 15 assists in 42 games this season. . . .


F Denis Tolpeko (Seattle, Regina, 2003-06) was traded by Dynamo Moscow (Russia, KHL) to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) for F Maksim Pestushko, who was captain of Neftekhimik this season. He had
five goals and five assists in 27 games with Dynamo Moscow and three goals in three games with Dynamo Balashikha (Russia, Vysshaya Liga) this season. . . .


D Marek Hrbas (Edmonton, Kamloops, 2010-13) signed a one-year plus option contract with Sparta Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had eight goals and 16 assists in 65 games with the Blazers this season. . . .




F Jozef Balej (Portland, 1999-2002) signed a one-year plus option contract with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had 15 goals and eight assists in 41 games with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga)
this season. . . .


 F Igor Bacek (Tri-City, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with Lippe-Hockey Hamm (Germany, Oberliga). He had 19 goals and 48 assists in 35 games with Dortmund (Germany, Oberliga) this season. . . .


Vitkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga) announced that it won’t offer a contract for next season to D Denis Rehak (Prince George, 2003-04). He had one goal and four assists in 42 games this season. . . .




D Petr Kubos (Prince George, 1997-99) was informed by Slavia Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga) that he won’t be offered a contract for next season. Kubos had eight goals and 12 assists in 51 games for Slavia this season. . . .



D Deron Quint (Seattle, 1993-96) signed a two-year contract with Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had five goals and 12 assists in 52 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL) this season.



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On the eve of the 2013 bantam draft, the Seattle Thunderbirds announced that they have signed F Mathew Barzal, who was the first overall selection in the 2012 draft.
This season, Barzal had 103 points, including a league-record 74 assists, in 34 games with the Vancouver-North East Chiefs of the B.C. Major Midget League.

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The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
(Edmonton wins series, 4-3)
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Portland wins series, 4-1)
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CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
Game 2: Saturday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
Game 3: Tuesday, May 7, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Wednesday, May 8, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Game 5: Friday, May 10, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Game 6: Sunday, May 12, at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Game 7: Monday, May 13, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x – if necessary.


All games will televised by Shaw in Canada. All games also will be available in Portland, with Games 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Games 2 and 7 on Root Sports.
Comcast and Roots will pick up the Shaw telecast that will feature play-by-play man Dan Russell, along with Bill Wilms, Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
No Game Scheduled.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (7):
None
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From Seattle Thunderbirds D Shea Theodore (@stheodore17): “Would like to welcome @Barzal_97 to the organization, and more importantly our powerplay #Tbirds”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Igor Bacek (Tri-City, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with Dortmund (Germany, Oberliga). He had 17 goals and 31 assists in 37 games with Passau Black Hawks (Germany, Oberliga) last season.
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John Leake, the author of Cold A Long Time: An Alpine Mystery, appeared on Dan Russell’s SportsTalk on Thursday night.
SportsTalk is a three-hour nightly show that originates with CKNW, an AM radio station in Vancouver.
Cole A Long Time details the death of former Saskatoon Blades D Duncan MacPherson and all that follows as his parents, Lynda and Bob, work to find out what happened.
SportsTalk is on the CKNW website in podcast form. The Leake interview covers most of two hours and it’s available right here. Just click on Thursday, June 14, Hour 1 and Hour 2.
The book, which is a must read, is available via the Internet right here.
And it soon is to become available at Chapters Indigo book stores.
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has a piece right here on Rob Laird, one of the longest-serving members of the Los Angeles Kings organization. A pro scout, Laird has been part of the Kings for 18 years. What is nice about this piece is that Laird passes along some Stanley Cup credit to Al Murray, who once was the Kings’ director of amateur scouting. In fact, it was with Murray heading up the scouting department that the Kings drafted three key players — goaltender Jonathan Quick and forwards Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar. Murray now is the Tampa Bay Lightning’s director of amateur scouting.
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JUST NOTES:
The Prince Albert Raiders have signed their first three selections from the 2012 bantam draft. . . . D Brendan Guhle, the third overall selection, had 24 points with the Sherwood Park Flyers of the Alberta Major Bantam League. . . . G Nick McBride, a second-round pick from Maple Ridge, B.C., also signed. He helped the Burnaby Winter Club Bruins win the Western Canadian bantam AAA championship last season. . . . F Matteo Gennaro, who played for the bantam AAA St. Albert Sabres, also was a second-round selection. He had 44 points, including 23 goals, in 31 games. . . .
The Prince George Cougars have signed F Jansen Harkins of North Vancouver. He was the second overall pick in the 2012 bantam draft. Harkins, the son of former pro Todd Harkins, had 122 points, including 68 goals, with the bantam AAA North Shore Winter Club Winterhawks and was named a co-winner of the 2012 Hockey Now Minor Hockey Player of the Year Award. . . .
The Kamloops Blazers have signed F Jayden Halbgewachs, the 19th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. Halbgewachs, from Emerald Park, Sask., had 89 points, 55 of them goals, in 24 games with the bantam AA Prairie Storm. He will play next season with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. . . .
Daniel Fink has joined the Regina Pats as their media and communications manager. He joins the Pats from the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves. He was the radio voice of the Ice Wolves. With the Pats, he will be, according to a news release, “responsible for all aspects of media relations and communications as it relates to the Pats.” . . . Fink starts work on Aug. 18. . . .
Congrats to Bill Whitehead, the newly elected president of Hockey Manitoba. Whitehead, who is from Roland, Man., was a minute-eating defenceman with the MJHL’s Selkirk Steelers when they won the 1974 Centennial Cup as national junior A champions.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The St. Louis Blues have promoted Brad Shaw to associate coach while adding Gary Agnew as an assistant coach. Agnew replaces Scott Mellanby, who left the Blues late last month and has since signed as the Montreal Canadiens’ director of player personnel. . . . Agnew had been head coach of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals since Nov. 7. He spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets where he worked alongside Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock. . . . The Blues other assistant coach, Ray Bennett, is going into his sixth full season with the Blues. Prior to that, Bennett, who worked in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs and Moose Jaw Warriors, spent seven seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. . . . Shaw is going into his seventh season with the Blues. . . .
The QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs have named Mike Kelly as their new head coach. Kelly, who was the Sea Dogs’ director of hockey operations and associate coach, actually has been named general manager and head coach. . . . He replaces Gerard Gallant as head coach. Gallant has signed on as an assistant coach with the Montreal Canadiens. . . . Kelly did a stint as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings (2003-04). . . . The Sea Dogs, the 2011 Memorial Cup champions, have won the last two QMJHL titles, going 161-34-9 in the process. . . .
One year after signing on with the junior B Revelstoke Grizzlies as an assistant coach, Kevin Kraus is the team’s general manager and head coach. Kraus (Kamloops, Tri-City, 2006-07) replaces Randy Quakenbush, who had his contract terminated but remains in the organization and plans on working to keep the Kootenay International league franchise in Revelstoke after it came perilously close to being sold and relocated to 100 Mile House. . . . Brian Wiebe, who follows all things BCHL the way a mother goose follows her young ones, first tweeted the Kraus signing on June 8. Wiebe tweets at @Brian_Wiebe.
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Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com has the latest right here on the story of Jim Duquette, the longtime baseball executive, and his daughter, Lindsey. Jim gave a kidney to Lindsey last week and should have his 10-year-old daughter home for Father’s Day. It doesn’t get any better than that.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter), one of ESPN’s NFL reporters: “After one NFL exec heard CB Adam Jones was ordered to pay $11.7 million for his role in a shooting, he texted, ‘When it rains, it pours.’ ”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Igor Bacek (Tri-City, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with the Passau Black Hawks (Germany, Oberliga). He had 12 goals and 13 assists in 21 games for Landsberg (Germany, Oberliga) last season. . . .
F Dan DaSilva (Portland, 2002-05) signed a tryout contract with Lev Poprad (Slovakia, KHL). He had 16 goals and 25 assists in 80 games with the Worcester Sharks (AHL) last season.
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Mike McMahon, who covers NCAA hockey for the Lowell, Mass., Eagle-Tribune, has reported that F Cam Darcy, who isn’t eligible for the NHL draft until 2012, has decided not to join the Northeastern Huskies program. Darcy, who has been in the U.S. National Team Development Program, was selected in the 10th round of the QMJHL draft by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.
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JUST NOTES: The Swift Current Broncos have signed F Dakota Odgers, the 24th selection in the 2011 bantam draft, to a WHL contract. He is the son of former WHL F Jeff Odgers (Brandon, 1986-90). Dakota was to have played last season with the bantam AA Melville Millionaires but missed most of the season due to shoulder surgery. . . .
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DEPT. OF WHOOPS: F Jason Ulmer has signed a two-year deal to play with EHC München  (German DEL), not Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg, as was mentioned here last week. Ulmer, 32, has played 348 DEL games, with 312 points, including 226 assists. He also played with the Kassel Huskies and Hanover Scorpions, before spending the last four seasons with Wolfsburg.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The afore-mentioned Mike McMahon of the Lawrence, Mass., Eagle-Tribune reports that the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms are in the market for a head coach after Curtis Carr left for an assistant’s position with the Merrimack College Warriors. . . .
Kevin Kraus (Kamloops, Tri-City, 2006-08) has signed on as an assistant coach with the junior B Revelstoke Grizzlies of the Kootenay International junior league. He joins Randy Quackenbush, the GM and head coach, and associate coach Darren Komonoski. . . . Quackenbush replaces Rylan Ferster, who now is the GM and head coach with the BCHL’s Westside Warriors.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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