THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract extension with Skellefteå (Sweden, Elitserien). The contract has an out-clause should he sign an NHL contract. Holloway was named Elitserien Most Valuable Player, winning the league scoring championship with 20 goals and 51 assists in 55 games. Skellefteå beat Luleå four games to none to win their second-ever Elitserien championship — the first was in 1977-78. There is an interview video (in English) with Holloway on the club website, which you can find right here. . . . 
F Ryan Kinasewich (Medicine Hat, Tri-City, 1998-2004) signed a one-year plus option contract with the Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had four goals and seven assists in 14 games with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) and 16 goals and 10 assists in 25 games for Milan Rossoblu (Italy, Serie A) this season. . . .
D Jame Pollock (Seattle, 1995-99) signed a one-year contract extension with the Nuremburg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL). He had eight goals and 18 assists in 46 games this season. Nuremburg also announced that it won’t offer contracts for next season to seven players, including D Sven Butenschön (Brandon, 1993-1996). Butenschön had two goals and one assist in 50 games for the Ice Tigers this season. . . .F Nathan Rempel (Saskatoon, 1994-98) won’t be offered a contract for next season by the Guildford Flames (England, Premier). He had 19 goals and 20 assists in 43 games for the Flames this season.
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It will be interesting to see what kind of welcome is afforded F Chase Souto and the Kamloops Blazers tonight in Portland.
The Blazers trail 3-1 in the Western Conference final with the Winterhawks.
After being beaten 3-0 in Game 4 in Kamloops on Wednesday night, Souto was quoted by Marty Hastings of Kamloops This
Week as saying: “We did it last year. I think we're going to go in their barn, cause a ruck and shut their fans up. Bunch of losers down there. … just gonna give it our all."A year ago, in the second round, the Blazers were trailing 3-1 when they went into Portland and won, 7-2.
Souto’s comment was met with a predictable response.
Portland F Nic Petan told Paul Buker of The Oregonian: “We kind of heard it on the bus today. Not much you can do about it, just let it go. Our focus is on winning the game, and not making comments like that.”
D Derrick Pouliot added: “He can say whatever he wants. We’ve got amazing fans here. They’re loud, and proud.”
The loudest stuff, as usual, came from the fans.Among the comments on the Winterhawks Booster Club’s Facebook page, where the graphic at the top of this entry was posted, were these:
“Wow, what a great example of terrible sportsmanship. Even if the Hawks lost, the fans would never shut up — Hawks' fans aren't fair weather fans.”
“No one shuts up we just shutout.”
“If your going to the game boo him enough for me please.”
“Suoto literally has a face only a mother can love. Go Hawks!!! Skates To Asses tomorrow night from the first puck drop till the final horn!!!”
“Chase Souto mouthing off, down 3-1? Shocker. Someone forgot to lock the chicken coop…”
“We should boo him every time he touches the puck. Just to remind him of his comment and how loud we can really be!”
There also was this:
“As much as it was pretty classless for Souto to make this statement... in my opinion it was wrong of the Winterhawks to create this and share it on their Facebook page. Seriously. Be the better team and show them on the ice...not on social media. This is a professional organization and posting this on their page is completely unprofessional.”
Meanwhile, over on Twitter, there was this:
From WinterhawksEgo (@WinterhawksEgo): “Way to stay classy @blazer hockey, chase souto. You're still losing Saturday night, don't fools yourselves.”
Uhh, someone may want to tell WinterhawksEgo that the game is tonight and tonight is Friday. Uhh, there isn’t a game scheduled for Saturday. So, WinterhawksEgo, don’t fools yourself into thinking there is a game on Saturday.
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And then there was Portland freelance writer Scott Sepich (@SSepich), who noted: “If the Winterhawks want to get casual PDX sports fans outraged, they should point out that Chase Souto is from CA and prob. a Lakers fan.”
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In the WHL, we get chirping. In the QMJHL, they get really down and dirty.
You have to love the QMJHL. You watched video of the the post-game donnybrook between the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Baie-Comeau Drakkar and you go to bed. You wake up Thursday morning and the suspensions and fines already have been handed out. No wasting time. Everyone knows where they stand. Wonderful! . . . All told, 12 players, including all four goaltenders, drew suspensions, which means you may be on the bench as a backup goaltender for one of the teams. . . . There’s more on the suspensions and fines right here. . . . The series is 2-2 with Game 5 scheduled for Baie-Comeau tonight. . . . After Game 2, the Armada dropped F Stefane Matteau, who was a first-round selection by the New Jersey Devils in the 2012 NHL draft. Provided with a plane ticket home from Baie-Comeau, he chose to ride home on a fan bus. His father, former NHLer Stephane, is an assistant coach with the Armada, although he now is on leave from the team.———
Former NHLer Jim Peplinski suggests bodychecking be banned from all levels of hockey until players are at least 16 years of age. . . . “I’d question whether I’d have kids in hockey as it’s currently organized,” Peplinski said. “I don’t think I would. The image, the money, it completely fogs people’s judgments.” . . . Mark Howell, the head coach of the U of Calgary Dinos, says hitting shouldn’t be introduced until players are 13 to 15 years of age. . . . “Kids cannot learn to hit,” Howell said. “Kids need to learn the game of hockey without the fear of body contact at a young age.” . . . Dawn Walton of The Globe and Mail has more right here.
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It would appear that D Griffin Reinhart’s season is over. That being the case, his WHL career may be over. The Edmonton Oil Kings announced Thursday that Reinhart has undergone surgery to repair a torn tendon in a foot and won’t play for perhaps six weeks. . . . Reinhart suffered a cut to one foot during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference with the Calgary Hitmen. Reinhart, 19, was a first-round selection, fourth overall, by the New York Islanders in the 2012 NHL draft. . . . Edmonton D Cody Corbett (knee), who missed Games 3 and 4, is back skating. . . . With the series tied 2-2, Game 5 of the conference final is tonight in Edmonton. . . . The Hitmen will get back F Jake Virtanen, who served a two-game suspension for the hit that injured Corbett.———
D Landon Oslanski, who played out his junior eligibility with the Everett Silvertips, has joined the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder. He made his pro debut last night, picking up an assist in a 5-3 playoff victory over the visiting Anchorage Aces.———
THE COACHING GAME:
Jerry Bancks is the new general manager/head coach of the junior B Kimberley Dynamiters of the Kootenay International Junior League. Bancks had been an assistant coach with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice. In the past, Bancks has done two stints on the Dynamiters’ coaching staff, both times as an assistant. . . .
Aaron Wilburn has resigned as head coach of the junior B Richmond Sockeyes, who won the Keystone Cup as Western Canadian champions last week. Wilburn, 32, told Mark Booth of the Richmond News that his business interests have become too all-encompassing. Among other things, Wilbur is president of The Coaches Site and organizes coaching clinics. . . . Booth’s story is right here.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
(Series tied 2-2; Game 5 tonight in Edmonton; all games on Shaw TV, with Dan Russell calling the play.)
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Portland leads series, 3-1; Game 5 tonight at the Rose Garden in Portland.)
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
No Games Scheduled.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (20):
None
CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (6):
None
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From Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell): “Have to wonder where parity has gone in Jr. hockey. In OHL, QMJHL, WHL there have been 36 playoff series, only one has gone seven games.”
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