WHL teams going outside for coaches . . . Hockey dead at TRU? . . . Mykitiuk back in WHL

F Codey Burki (Brandon, 2002-07) has been loaned by Olten (Switzerland, NL B) to Fribourg-Gottéron (Switzerland, NL A) through Dec. 23. Burki, who has dual Canadian-Swiss citizenship, had 17 points, including four goals, in 19 games with Olten this season. . . .
F Roman Tvrdon (Spokane, 1999-2001) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Guildford Flames (England, Premier). Last season, with Považská Bystrica (Slovakia, 1. Liga), he had a goal and four assists in nine games; he also had 12 goals and nine assists in 21 games with Oświęcim (Poland, Ekstraliga). . . .
There was an interesting game in Gävle, Sweden, between home team Brynäs and Linköping in the SHL on Thursday night. Shots on goal in the first period were 24-0 for Linköping. The score was 0-0. . . .  Linköping went on to win 2-1 in a shootout. Final shots on goal were 51-20 for Linköping. . . . F Greg Scott (Seattle, 2005-09) scored for Brynäs with 1:22 left to send the game to OT. . . . Columnist Stisse Åberg, writing  in Gefle Dagblad, the local Gävle newspaper: "I was close, very close, to losing interest entirely . . . for the game. Why should I care -- when Brynäs decides to spend a troubled half hour in their own zone."
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THE COACHING GAME:

When the Vancouver Giants introduced Claude Noel as the fifth head coach in franchise history on Monday, it marked the 12th coaching change in the WHL since the end of last season.
In only two instances did the team in question promote an assistant coach to head coach.
The Giants, in fact, have gone outside their organization for their last two head coaches as they work to find a replacement for Don Hay, their head coach for the previous 10 seasons. Troy Ward lasted 25 games; the Noel era begins tonight against the visiting Portland Winterhawks.
Hay, of course, was let out of his contract with a year remaining on it, and he returned to Kamloops as the Blazers’ head coach. The Blazers twice overlooked associate coach Mark Ferner -- they brought Guy Charron down from the front office to replace Dave Hunchak when the latter disappeared in January; then they brought Hay back as head coach. Those moves may or may not have had anything to do with Ferner’s decision to leave the Blazers earlier this season and return to the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers as general manager and head coach.
The Calgary Hitmen (Mark French), Moose Jaw Warriors (Tim Hunter), Portland (Jamie Kompon), Prince Albert Raiders (Marc Habscheid), Regina Pats (John Paddock), Saskatoon Blades (Bob Woods) and Tri-City Americans (Mike Williamson) all reached outside their organizations when making a move to a new head coach.
Only the Edmonton Oil Kings and Kelowna Rockets chose to promote from within.
The Oil Kings, the defending Memorial Cup champions, lost head coach Derek Laxdal to the Texas Stars, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. Edmonton promptly moved associate coach Steve Hamilton into the head coach’s office. Hamilton, whose father, Al, played for the original Oil Kings, had spent four seasons as Laxdal’s lead assistant.
In Kelowna, the Rockets had to replace Ryan Huska, who now is the head coach of the Adirondack Flames, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Huska was the Rockets’ head coach for seven seasons; Lambert, a former Swift Current Broncos defenceman, rode shotgun for five of those seasons.
“When I hired Dan Lambert, I wanted him to learn how to be a head coach,” Bruce Hamilton, the Rockets’ owner and general manager, told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. “We wouldn’t let other teams have access to him because we were paying him to learn to be our head coach.”
Each of the last three times Hamilton has had to find a new head coach, he has promoted from within. When Habscheid left after 2003-04, it was Jeff Truitt’s turn to move up. When Truitt left, Huska was given his opportunity.
And now it’s Lambert’s turn.
Considering the success that the Rockets have had, you are free to wonder why other WHL teams don’t use that same strategy. Or are they trying to and just not having the same success?
At a glance, there are eight WHL head coaches who have worked in the league as assistant coaches. Four of those are Kelly McCrimmon (Brandon), Ryan McGill (Edmonton Ice), Hay and Williamson, each of whom was an assistant back in the day. The other four are Dave Lowry (Victoria), who was an assistant with the Hitmen for three seasons (2005-08); Shaun Clouston, who was an assistant in Medicine Hat for six seasons and moved up when Willie Desjardins left after 2009-10; Steve Hamilton and Lambert.
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By the way, Daniel Nugent-Bowman’s complete story on Bruce Hamilton and the way he operates the Kelowna Rockets is right here.
Interestingly, Hamilton takes the blame for the way the Rockets flamed out in the playoffs last spring.
What happened?
Hamilton makes no bones about the fact that he wants “good guys” on his roster. But . . .
“Last year we made a fatal mistake,” Hamilton admitted to Nugent-Bowman. “We brought in (Marek) Tvrdon thinking he was going to jump-start us. He jump-started us the wrong way.
“That’s all on my shoulders. He wasn’t a good enough guy to be the difference in games.”
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Ken Dryden was the late Jean Beliveau’s last roommate; Beliveau was Dryden’s first. . . . Right here, Dryden remembers “a very nice man.”
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Roy MacGregor, Canada’s greatest essayist at this point in time, gets to the essence of the late Jean Beliveau in a wonderful piece from The Globe and Mail. That essay is right here and it’s more than worth your time.
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Chris Daniels of King 5 News in Seattle reported Thursday night that Washington state regulators “have expanded their investigation into the (WHL) and its member franchises over possible violations of child labour laws.” . . . The WHL has four franchises in Washington -- the Everett Silvertips, Seattle Thunderbirds, Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans -- and they are the subject of this investigation. . . . Daniels’ report is right here.
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Trevor Bast, who has spent the last while working in the hopes of re-establishing a hockey program with Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, reports that the door has been closed.
On Thursday afternoon, Bast took part in a conference call with Dr. Alan Shaver, TRU’s president, Matt Vilovick, the school’s vice-president finance/administration, and athletic director Ken Olynyk.
“By the end of the call,” Bast told Taking Note, “I was advised TRU will not support the revival of the men’s hockey team.”
Bast said the TRU officials “cited recent bad history with hockey, poor academic performance and behaviour with non-varsity club teams in general . . . as well as a lack of desire to support hockey financially and clerically, among other things.”
TRU killed the hockey program prior to this season, citing the team’s financial situation, among other things. The team wasn’t a varsity team, but rather was operated by a non-profit society. At the end, it was around $50,000 in debt.
“Athletic director Ken Olynyk did state by email at one point a concern we were going to take away sponsorship that is currently directed to TRU athletics,” Bast said. “I suppose you can't blame him as we were gaining momentum and folks in Kamloops do like hockey.”
Bast admitted that “the front door to re-entry to the BCIHL has been slammed shut.”
But the Victoria resident, whose son was to have played on the Wolfpack this season, isn’t about to give up.
“We now will turn our time and energy away from the TRU athletic department and explore other ways of entering the BCIHL,” he said. “Collegiate hockey in Kamloops can work and the BCIHL is a league worth fighting to be in. As well, the BCIHL is a league that deserves to exist and thrive.
“At this time, if there is anyone out there who can help this cause financially as a sponsor or a donor, please don’t wait for me to find you.”
If you are interested, feel free to email Bast at trevorbast@gmail.com.
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According to Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets, F Rourke Chartier has reached 30 goals quicker than any player in franchise history. F Brett McLean (1997-98) got there in his 30th game. Chartier reached 30 on Wednesday night, in his 28th game. . . .
The Kelowna Rockets and Saskatoon Blades have been fined $250 apiece for the battling goaltenders during their Wednesday night game. Kelowna’s Jake Morrissey and Nik Amundrud of the visiting Blades scrapped at centre ice during the third period of the Rockets’ 5-1 victory. . . .
G Jared Rathjen, 20, who was placed on waivers by the Prince George Cougars earlier this week, has rejoined the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines. He was 6-4-1/2.99/.916 with the Wolverines in 2012-13. . . . A native of Prince George, he got into three games with the Cougars before getting caught up in the 20-year-old numbers game. . . . He also has played with the Vancouver Giants and Victoria Royals, and was in camp prior to this season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . .
The Everett Silvertips have added F Jake Mykitiuk, 19, to their roster. He spent last season and the first part of this season in the AJHL, after spending two seasons with the Prince George Cougars. In 126 WHL games, he put up 22 points, including seven goals. . . . This season, with the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints, he had 23 points, 10 of them goals, in 31 games. . . . Mykitiuk proves Everett with some depth up front, especially with F Dawson Leedahl (knee) and F Logan Aasman (undisclosed) on the shelf. . . .
The Moose Jaw Warriors are preparing to play three games in Alberta in fewer than 48 hours this weekend. Once again, the Warriors are having to juggle their defence due to injuries. Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald has more right here.
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3 journos who cover CHL teams told me over past few months their editors have told them not to cover labour issue b/c of biz ties with clubs
— rick westhead (@rwesthead) December 4, 2014

Raiders, Rockets deal . . . Cougars waive goaltender . . . Blazers stun Blades

D Angel Krstev (Lethbridge, 1999-2000) exercised an out clause with Litoměřice (Czech Republic, 1. Liga) and signed a contract for the rest of this season with Neumarkt/Egna (Italy, Serie A). This season, he had eight assists in 22 games with Litoměřice 22 GP, 0+8.
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We lost Jean Beliveau on Tuesday night and the hockey world was quick to react right here.
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The Prince Albert Raiders have acquired F Colton Heffley, 20, from the Kelowna Rockets for a fourth-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. Heffley, from Swift Current, has 83 points, including 23 goals, in 270 regular-season games, all with the Rockets. . . . This season, he has 10 points, three of them goals, in 27 games. . . . He was a second-round selection in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . The Raiders meet the Rockets in Kelowna on Saturday night. . . .

The Prince George Cougars have placed G Jared Rathjen, 20, on waivers, a move that allows them to get down to the maximum of three 20-year-olds on their roster. . . . Rathjen, who is from Prince George, got into three games with the Cougars. He also has played with the Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants, and started this season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . The move leaves the Cougars with F Chance Braid, F Jari Erricson and F Zach Pochiro as their 20-year-old players. The Cougars had two weeks to get down to three after the NHL’s St. Louis Blues returned Pochiro, who had been with the ECHL’s Anchorage Aces. . . . They will continue to go with Ty Edmonds, 18, and Tavin Grant, 16, as their goaltenders. . . .

The Vancouver Giants have dropped F Brendan Holterhus, 17, from their roster. He is expected to join the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. A native of Edmonton, he was pointless in 16 games with the Giants.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

In Red Deer, F Connor Rankin scored three goals and added three assists to lead the Calgary Hitmen to a 9-5 victory over the Rebels. . . . Rankin's third goal, and his 11th of the season, was the 100th of his career. He enjoyed his first hat trick with Calgary and the third of his career. . . . The Hitmen led this one 5-0 after the first period. . . . The Rebels got to within 6-4 and 7-5 but that was it. . . . Calgary F Beck Malenstyn scored twice, giving him four goals this season, while F Chase Lang scored his 12th goal and added two assists. . . . F Riley Sheen, who was acquired Monday from the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Monday, had two goals and an assist for Red Deer. He's got five goals this season. . . .

In Victoria, the Portland Winterhawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead and hung on to beat the Royals, 6-4. . . . The Royals, who trailed 4-1 after the first period, tied it 4-4 on F Brandon Magee's ninth goal at 8:31 of the third period. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored his 100th regular-season goal, shorthanded, to give his side a 5-4 lead at 10:25. . . . Portland F Nic Petan added insurance with an empty-netter at 19:54. He has 300 career points, including 199 assists. . . . Bjorkstrand, who has 19 goals this season, has goals in five straight games. . . . Portland F Chase De Leo scored his 16th goal. . . . Victoria D Travis Brown scored twice, giving him 12 goals this season. . . . The Winterhawks have won six in a row. . . .

In Kamloops, the Blazers erased a 3-0 first-period deficit and beat the Saskatoon Blades, 4-3. . . . F Cameron Hebig gave the visitors a 3-0 lead with a PP goal at 18:56 of the first. . . . The Blades took a 3-1 lead into the third period. . . . F Matt Revel, whom the Blazers acquired from the Blades last season, scored his eighth goal at 13:38. . . . Kamloops won it with two goals in the game's final minute. D Michael Fora got his third goal at 19:23 and Revel got the winner at 19:40. . . . The equalizer banked off two Saskatoon players, hitting a shin and a head on the way into the goal. . . . F Matt Needham and F Cole Ully each had two assists for Kamloops. . . . D Adam Henry had two assists for Saskatoon. . . . Saskatoon G Nik Amundrud stopped 45 shots. G Trevor Martin was to have started, but couldn't go because of the flu. . . . The Blades scratched F Sam McKechnie and D Amil Krupic with the flu. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix is on the road with the Blades. His game story is right here.

Hitting right notes in Prince George . . . Two more players leave teams . . . Another shutout for Whistle

THE MUSIC MAN:

CURTIS ABRIEL

Recently, the Moose Jaw Warriors' Twitter account (@MJWARRIORS) was playing a game of "Remember When . . ." At one point, the tweet was: “We had the actual organ in the Civic Centre #glorydays #livemusic #intune.”
Which brings us to Prince George’s CN Centre, the home of the Cougars who, if you aren't aware, are under new ownership this season.
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The Cougars’ new owners are hoping for a revival in their community this season.
And like the hosts to a good revival meeting, they see nothing wrong with a little organ music at their games.
It used to be that an organist was almost the entire stoppage-time
entertainment at a lot of hockey games. However, with the growth of computers, more and more teams have gone to pre-packaged music and the organs got squeezed out.
In Prince George, the Cougars have done something to reverse that. Yes, a keyboardist has become a big part of their game presentation.
"Apart from our relatively good improvements on the ice, the thing we are most happy about is that an exciting, electric atmosphere has once again returned to the CN Centre, and the fans are having an extremely good time attending our games," Andy Beesley, the Cougars' vice-president business, told Taking Note via email. "We’ve made some dramatic changes to the ‘fan experience’, including our incredible pre-game light/laser show, and, of course, our music upgrades."
The Cougars have hired Curtis Abriel as their music director. A resident of Prince George who is from Kitimat, Abriel is a well-known figure on the city's music scene.
With the Cougars, Abriel controls all music and sound effects, and also plays a live keyboard which, according to Beesley, is "mostly organ" and is used a lot throughout a game.
"Curtis has a natural ability to read the crowd, and get them clapping and cheering with various musical punctuations to mimic the mood of the crowd during stoppages in play," Beesley added. "Curtis has made a major contribution to the atmosphere inside the CN Centre . . . the power of a live keyboard with a skilled musician cannot be overstated."
How popular has the addition of Abriel proven to be?
The Cougars, who are at home to the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.), now have added a camera inside the video control room where Abriel operates from "so we can show live shots of him on the video scoreboard from time to time," Beesley writes.
The Cougars are using a lot of live music on game nights. On opening night, they had a local band, Out of Alba, on the roof of the CN Centre to welcome fans to the game; Out of Alba also played inside during 90-second timeouts during the game.
During a recent Saturday game, the Cougars had a live DJ -- DJ Ant -- doing his thing during stoppages in play and intermissions. Beesley reports that the DJ was "set up in the stands and was a huge hit."
In fact, DJ Ant was so popular, according to Beesley, "that we have arranged to have him set up in the stands again and play ALL the music for an upcoming game, with Curtis also playing live organ from time to time."
The Cougars, Beesley reports, also plan to include more live musicians during future games, including, yes, a trumpet player.
CHARGE!
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MORE PLAYER DEPARTURES:

Two more players have chosen to leave their WHL teams.
D Connor Hobbs, 17, has asked to be traded and has left the Medicine Hat Tigers, while D Tyler Green, 19, has decided to leave the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Hobbs, from Saskatoon, had two assists in five games with Canada at last summer's Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament. He had a goal and an assist in 12 games with the Tigers this season. Last season, he had three points, including a goal, in 10 games. He had been one of eight defencemen on the Tigers' roster.
Hobbs was a fourth-round pick by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2012 bantam draft. The Tigers acquired Hobbs on Jan. 1, 2013. Along with Hobbs, they got D Zach Hodder, then 19, F Logan McVeigh, 18, and a second-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft for D Dylan Busenius, 19, F Jayden Hart, 18, and a sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft.
Green, meanwhile, apparently told the Warriors that he wants to get on with his education.
“He contacted us (Wednesday) and asked to meet with Tim (Hunter) and I,” Alan Millar, the Warriors' general manager, told Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. “He just explained to us that he has lost the passion for the game and didn’t feel like he wanted to play any longer.”
Green, 19, is from Port Coquitlam, B.C. He was a second-round selection by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the 2010 bantam draft. Seattle dealt him to the Brandon Wheat Kings and they, in turn, traded him to Moose Jaw on Oct. 5 for a fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft.
The Warriors acquired the 6-foot-7, 220-pound Green after D Austin Adam, a 6-foot-5, 200-pounder, suffered a shoulder injury. Adam is back skating but isn't expected to play for a couple of weeks.
Green's departure leaves the Warriors with six defencemen.
Green is at least the third player to walk away from the Warriors this season. Veteran forwards Brandon Potomak, 19, and Scott Cooke, 20, left after having played just two games each.
On Wednesday, the Kootenay Ice and D Jordan Steenbergen, 18, parted company by mutual agreement. He was pointless in 12 games this season.
The Prince Albert Raiders had two players -- F Dakota Conroy and F Colton McCarthy -- leave the club earlier this month. Conroy, 20, had two points in 10 games, while McCarthy, 18, was pointless in eight games.
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G Jared Rathjen, who has yet to play this season, is joining the Prince George Cougars. Rathjen, 20, is from Prince George. He was placed on waivers by the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Rathjen opened training camp with the Tigers and got into two exhibition games. However, he was sidelined when a health issue was discovered. He recently received medical clearance to return to action but has yet to play, although he has been practising with the Tigers. . . . Rathjen was acquired by the Tigers from the Vancouver Giants over the summer. The Tigers gave up a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft in the exchange. . . . In 74 regular-season games with the Victoria Royals and the Giants, he is 20-30-8/3.81/.873. Last season, he was 13-8-5/2.98/.898. . . . The acquisition of Rathjen leaves the Cougars with three goaltenders, the other two being sophomore Ty Edmonds, 18, and freshman Tavin Grant, 16. . . . Edmonds is 7-7-0/4.04/.875, while Grant is 1-1-0/5.75/.828. . . .
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In order to make room for Rathjen, the Cougars have waived D Wil Tomchuk, who is joining the AJHL's Fort McMurray Oil Barons. He is from Fort McMurray. . . . The Cougars are left with Rathjen, F Jari Ericsson and F Chance Braid as their 20-year-olds. . . . Tomchuk have five assists in 26 games with the Cougars last season, after coming over from the Tri-City Americans. This season, he had two assists in 15 games. In 131 regular-season games, he had a goal and 10 assists. . . . The Tigers are down to 23 players, including eight defencemen and 13 forwards. Their 20s are D Tyler Lewington, D Kyle Becker and Czech G Marek Langhamer. Lewington turns 20 on Dec. 5.
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Scoop Cooper, who writes at hockeybuzz.com, has known Gordie and Mark Howe for a number of years. With Gordie having suffered a stroke, Cooper writes right here about Mr. Hockey
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Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal chatted with former Portland Winterhawks head coach Brent Peterson about Gordie Howe, Andrew Ference and more. It's all right here. . . .

F Alex Forsberg, who suffered an undisclosed injury a week ago, practised with the Saskatoon Blades on Thursday. He is listed as questionable for tonight's game against the Pats in Regina. Saskatoon D Ryan Coghlan has been out since Oct. 22 and will sit for at least another month. He suffered a separated shoulder during a fight. . . . The Blades will make a move on defence before too long because they are down to six healthy defenders. . . .

There was an interesting revelation from the NHL's St. Louis Blues on Thursday morning. In an era when hockey teams are reluctant to release information regarding injuries, Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock told reports that forwards David Backes and T.J. Oshie have concussions and are out indefinitely. . . . "Backes is concussed, out ... Oshie is concussed, out," Hitchcock said.
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THE COACHING GAME:

There is an interesting story developing in Cold Lake, Alta., where the board of the directors of the Ice, a junior B team, has fired head coach Neil Langridge. The Ice was 10-2 when Langridge was fired on Tuesday. Furthermore, the Ice is coming off four straight league titles and is to be the host team for the 2015 Keystone Cup. Theresa Seraphim and Peter Lozinski of the Cold Lake Sun have more right here. "I can say that I will be leaving this organization with my head held allot higher then others involved," Langridge tweeted.
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THURSDAY'S GAMES:

In Portland, G Jackson Whistle stopped 29 shots to lead the Kelowna Rockets to a 5-0 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . It was Whistle's second shutout in his last three starts. He's got three shutouts this season and six in his career. . . . The Rockets (13-1-0) have won three in a row. . . . F Rourke Chartier scored twice, giving him 11 goals this season. . . . F Justin Kirkland added a goal, his sixth, and two assists, while F Austin Glover drew three assists. . . . The Winterhawks hadn't been shut out at home since Oct. 9, 2011, when Ty Rimmer of the Tri-City Americans stopped 43 shots in a 4-0 victory. . . . The Americans also blanked Portland on Dec. 11, 2011, the last time the Winterhawks have gone without a goal. On that night, Rimmer turned aside 29 shots in a 3-0 victory. . . . With eight defencemen dressed, the Rockets had Jesse Lees playing on a forward line at times. . . . The Rockets were without head coach Dan Lambert, who is in Sarnia, Ont., preparing to coach one of Canada's entries in the U-17 World Hockey Challenge. . . . If you keep track of such things, the coaching victory belongs to assistant coach Kris Mallette, his first. . . . The Rockets and Winterhawks (5-10-2) will meet again Saturday in Portland, where the Winterhawks are 0-5-2. . . .

In Seattle, F Lane Pederson scored his first two WHL goals to help the Thunderbirds to a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Pederson, a 17-year-old from Saskatoon, was playing in his 14th game of the season. He was pointless in two regular-season and three playoff games last season. . . . Seattle scored the game's first four goals and took a 5-1 lead into the third period. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 22 shots, three more than Edmonton's Patrick Dea. . . . F Mathew Barzal and F Ryan Gropp each scored his seventh goal of the season for Seattle. . . . “I thought they just outworked us,” Oil Kings head coach Steve Hamilton said on the team’s website. “We need to play with more pace to our game. We have to be harder to play against. We got our show run by a team that was aggressive and in our face.”
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198 - With tonight's 5-0 victory, the @Kelowna_Rockets have ended Portland's streak at 198 straight reg season games with at least one goal
— WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) October 31, 2014

Another player at home with brain injury . . . To dry scrape, or not to dry scrape

G Leland Irving (Everett, 2003-08) has signed a one-year contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL). He was invited to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s training camp on a tryout basis on Sept. 9. Last season, with Jokerit Helsinki (Finland, Liiga), he was 2.14 and .922 in 55 games. . . .
F Karel Hromas (Everett, 2004-06) has been released by Kadaň (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). Last season, he had one assist in seven games with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had 11 points, including six goals, in 29 games on loan to Kadaň.
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CONCUSSION REPORT:

Veteran F Chase Souto, 20, no longer is with the Kamloops Blazers. Souto, who is hoping to play in his fifth season with the Blazers, has returned to his California home as he tries to recover from at least the fourth concussion of his WHL career.
Souto suffered his latest concussion on Feb. 7 and still wasn’t feeling well when he reported to the Blazers training camp in late August.
“He took part in the first two days of training camp,” Blazers head coach Don Hay told Earl Seitz of CFJC-TV in Kamloops. “He came to us and said he wasn’t feeling quite right. Our doctors looked at him and shut him down.
“We’ve given him some time to go home, get well rested, then have the possibility of coming back and joining us at a future date.”
Souto finished last season with 31 points, including 20 goals, in 47 games. He suffered a broken hand during a fight in Moose Jaw on Dec. 15 and didn’t play again until Jan. 17.
His latest concussion came in a game against the visiting Victoria Royals on Feb. 7. He tried to play again, on Feb. 28 in Calgary, but it didn’t work and his season was over.
Now there isn’t any time frame for a return.
“The doctor feels he’s not at 100 per cent right now,” Hay said,
“and wants to give him a little more time to recover.”
Souto incurred two concussions as a 16-year-old freshman, the first coming four games into the season on an open-ice hit in Chilliwack, the second occurring when he was on the receiving end of a heavy check in Cranbrook.
Then, on Sept. 10, 2011, he took an elbow to the head during an exhibition game against Kelowna and that resulted in brain injury No. 3.
Three years ago, after Souto suffered that third brain injury, I talked with him and wrote this piece right here. The interesting part is how he kept playing after the hit and intentionally got into a fight. That way, he got tossed with the automatic game misconduct and was able to buy some time as he tried to determine whether he might be able to keep the brain injury from training Colin Robinson and the coaching staff.
With Souto gone, the Blazers are down to two 20-year-olds -- G Bolton Pouliot and D Brady Gaudet.
Will Souto be back in time to fill that third spot.
“That is open right now,” Hay told Seitz, “but there’s always the possibility it might get filled.”
The Blazers also need Souto’s offence. With him on the roster, they return 106 goals from a team that had the second-poorest offence in the WHL last season.
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Sometime during the next week, the WHL will issue a news release covering rule changes for the 2014-15 regular season. Don't expect the trapezoid behind the nets to be expanded or for the area between the hash marks at faceoff circles to be widened, a la the NHL. No doubt the WHL would like to use both rules, but there isn't time to change the paint schemes in all of the arenas before the season opens on Friday. . . . I experienced the dry scrape before overtime for the first time on Friday night. I would hope the WHL dumps that idea before the regular season begins. There are times when there is a real buzz in a building as everyone prepares for OT. But the time it takes to do a dry scrape sucks the atmosphere right out of the building. At least, that was the case last night in Kamloops, where the Blazers scored at 18:53 of the third period to forge a 3-3 tie and force OT with the Prince George Cougars.
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Some impressions from that game:
Kamloops F Matt Needham needs to have a lot of games just like that one for the Blazers to have success this season. The Blazers’ captain had the winning goal, on the PP, and two assists. He set up the tying goal by winning a faceoff in the Cougars’ zone. . . . Kamloops D Patrik Maier, a Slovakian freshman, had a goal and an assist and showed some flair. He slammed his gun into its holster after rifling a shot through a screen for a third-period goal. He also showed a sharp stick and some feistiness in front of his net. . . . Blazers F Jake Kryski, 16, was the best player on the ice. The kid has a lot of game for someone that young. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the grind of a WHL schedule. . . . The Cougars had a few veterans who played like it was the last exhibition game, which it was. At this level, coaches shouldn’t have to be yelling at players to skate hard on the way back into their zone. . . . Prince George D Dominic Thom looks like one of those players you hate to play against but love to have on your team. . . . Cougars F Jari Erricson, 20, has some rust after playing only four games last season thanks to a brain injury. . . . The Cougars scratched F Jansen Harkins, meaning he finishes the exhibition season with nine points, including four goals, in three games.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers are waiting to find out exactly what is wrong with G Jared Rathjen. Shaun Clouston, the Tigers’ GM and head coach, has told Ryan McCracken of the Medicine Hat News that Rathjen, 20, has yet to get medical clearance to play. . . . “In his medical, (Rathjen) had some abnormalities appear on some testing, and so basically until those are investigated and looked into, our doctor has said he can’t participate,” Clouston told McCracken. “So he’s been just kind of waiting. He’s going to see a specialist next week and hopefully he’ll be back to normal.” . . . For now, then, Nick Schneider will be the Tigers’ starting goaltender, with Cole Schafer from the junior B Medicine Hat Cubs backing up. That means Schneider starts tonight against the Red Deer Rebels in Stettler, with Schafter on the bench. . . . McCracken also reports that F Anthony Ast (wrist) and F Chad Labelle (knee) are hobbled.
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It’s hard to believe, but F Tim Bozon is in camp with the Montreal Canadiens. It was only in March when Bozon, then with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice, was in the intensive care unit of a Saskatoon hospital, deathly ill with Neisseria meningitis. He has come a long way since then, though, and Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette has the story right here.
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The OHL has handed out its first major suspension of the season, hitting F Noah Bushnell of the Sarnia Sting with a 10-game sentence for a headshot -- an elbow to the an opponent’s chin -- during a preseason game. . . . There’s more, including video, right here.
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It sounds like Tim Hunter, the first-year head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, got welcomed to the WHL on Friday night. His club was outshot 42-20 en route to a 6-2 loss to the host Brandon Wheat Kings. Afterwards, Hunter told Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald: “I never trust the shot clock on the road. I don’t think it was quite as bad as it was but, still, they did outshoot us and outwork us.” . . . Ah, yes, the shot clock on the road in the WHL. There isn‘t a coach in the league who hasn‘t walked the same ground as Hunter. . . .
An interesting note from Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, after the Blades’ 3-2 shootout victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos last night: “The 1,134 fans who attended Friday’s game got a taste of what the setup will look like at the rink this season. The upper bowl will be curtained off for almost all games in an effort to create a better atmosphere and stronger demand for tickets. The lower bowl holds approximately 6,000 people.” . . . During that game, Nugent-Bowman tweeted: “Broncos D Jordan Harris dumped to the side of the SC net. He skates off the ice with his left shoulder dangling down.” . . .
F Justin Hickman of the Seattle Thunderbirds was to have joined the Winnipeg Jets team at the Young Guns tournament in Penticton, B.C., but those plans were ruined by an undisclosed injury suffered in practice this week. . . . The Toronto Maple Leafs revealed Friday that D Rinat Valiev of the Kootenay Ice won’t participate in their camp because of an undisclosed injury. . . .
F Kristian Ferletak of the Victoria Royals drew a one-game suspension for the goaltender interference major and game misconduct he incurred Thursday against the visiting Vancouver Giants. He won't play tonight in Kelowna against the Rockets. . . . Victoria D Joe Hicketts wasn’t selected in the NHL’s 2014 draft, but is with the Detroit Red Wings’ rookie team in a tournament at Traverse City, Mich. Last night, he scored in OT and also drew an assist as the Red Wings beat the St. Louis Blues, 6-5.
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Please @TheWHL, no dry scrapes before overtime.
— Daniel Nugent-Bowman (@DNBsports) September 13, 2014

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Raiders, Warriors deal . . . Which WHL coach "is as funny as funny can be"?

G Kristofer Westblom (Kelowna, 2004-08) has been released by Gap (France, Ligue Magnus). Last season, with the Brampton Beast (CHL), he was 3.22 and .903 in 41 games.
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THE DEAL: The Prince Albert Raiders get F Colton McCarthy, 18, from the Moose Jaw Warriors for a sixth-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft.
THE SKINNY: McCarthy was born in Moose Jaw, but calls Salmon Arm, B.C., home. He has played two seasons in Moose Jaw. He had six goals and five assists in 63 games last season, after earning six points, two of them goals, in 39 goals as a freshman.
THE ANALYSIS: McCarthy, at 6-foot-0 and 190 pounds, brings some grit and some size to the right side of the Raiders’ forward ranks. He scored 22 goals in 32 junior B games with the Nelson Leafs and the Raiders would like to see a bit more of that scoring touch.
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It’s not that long ago when the issue of concussions in sport seemed to be a North American problem. Now, though, it is getting international attention. . . . Professor Willie Stewart, an expert who advises the International Rugby Board, has told the Daily Mail: “In just 12 months sports concussion has moved from an almost exclusively American sports issue to one that is now a major issue for global sport.” . . . Sports fans in Britain began to take notice when Ben Robinson, 14, died after sustaining a concussion after being allowed to continue playing with a concussion. “The most noticeable change since the start of the Mail on Sunday Concussion Campaign, has been the fact ‘The Elephant in the Room’ has escaped,” Robinson’s father, Peter, told the Mail on Sunday. “Concussion is now in the public domain and no longer controlled by sporting bodies. Phrases such as ‘Concussion can be fatal’ and ‘If in doubt sit them out’ can be mentioned without feeling we have to produce a death certificate to justify it.” . . . Sam Peters of the Daily Mail has more right here.
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“Another NFL season begins,” writes Gary Mihoces of USA TODAY, “and the concussion carousel already is spinning.” . . . According to Mihoces, “The NFL reports it has averaged 247 concussions per season (preseason and regular season) over the past three years. Last year's total of 228 was down 13 percent from 2012.” . . . His complete story is right here.
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Today is the first Sunday of the NFL’s 2014 season, and perhaps you are wondering: Is it wrong to watch football? . . . That is a question posed to Chuck Klosterman, The Ethicist, at The New York Times. . . . A letter writer asked The Ethicist: “Is it unethical to support a league that seems to know it is detrimental to the health of its participants?” . . . Read The Ethicist’s response right here, then ask yourself this: Is it unethical to watch a game in which teenagers are allowed to punch each other in the face?
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The Medicine Hat Tigers were without G Jared Rathjen when they beat the Calgary Hitmen 4-2 in High River, Alta., on Saturday night. Apparently, Rathjen, 20, isn’t injured. . . . “He’s not injured. He’s just not healthy,” Shaun Clouston, the Tigers’ general manager and head coach, told Ryan McCracken of the Medicine Hat News. “He’s got a further evaluation, he just hasn’t been cleared.” . . . Uhh, OK. Thanks for clearing that up. . . . G Marek Langhamer, the Czech 20-year-old, was to play last night. He will go to camp with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes and could play in their organization. The Tigers, then, are likely to open the season with Rathjen, who was acquired from the Victoria Royals over the summer, and Nick Schneider, 17, as their goaltenders. . . . Assuming that Rathjen regains his health, that is.
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Steve O’Rourke used to play for the Tri-City Americans. These days, the 40-year-old is an assistant coach with the Red Deer Rebels. This weekend, he was back in Kennewick, Wash., with the Rebels, who are playing in the Red Lion Hotel tournament. Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald reminisces with O’Rourke right here. . . . WARNING: This story includes this potentially myth-busting quote from O’Rourke, in reference to Rebels owner/GM/head coach Brent Sutter: “Brent is as funny as funny can be. It’s always a good time around the office, the dressing room and the bus.”
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The Kamloops Blazers have named Peter Soberlak as their mental performance coach. Soberlak, 45, is a Kamloops native who had been working with the Kelowna Rockets. He played with the Blazers as a 16-year-old (1985-86), before being dealt to the Swift Current Broncos early the next season. He was on the Broncos’ bus that crashed on Dec. 30, 1986, and later was on the Swift Current team that won the 1989 Memorial Cup. These days, Soberlak is the chair of the physical education department at Thompson Rivers U in Kamloops. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UBC and a master’s degree in sport and exercise psychology at Queen’s U in Kingston, Ont. . . . I wrote this piece right here on Soberlak three years ago.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed F Tanner Jeannot, a 17-year-old from Oxbow, Sask. Jeannot, a list player, had 36 points, including 15 goals, with the midget AAA Yorkton Harvest last season. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder was the Harvest’s rookie of the year, most dedicated player and scholastic player of the year. . . . Jeannot made his WHL debut on Saturday night, going pointless in Moose Jaw's 5-2 victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds and CBS Radio Seattle have signed a three-year agreement that covers all regular-season and playoff games, which will be heard on 1090 The Fan and streamed at 1090TheFan.com. The deal also includes a weekly 30-minute Coach’s Show that will feature Thunderbirds head coach Steve Konowalchuk. The plan is to run the show on Tuesdays, starting at 6 p.m. . . . F Stelio Mattheos of Winnipeg, who was the first pick in the 2014 bantam draft, made his WHL debut with the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday night. Mattheos recorded two assists as the Wheat Kings got past the visiting Regina Pats, 8-6. . . . Last night, Regina F Sam Steel scored twice as the host Pats beat the Wheaties, 4-1. Steel had two goals and an assist, giving him 10 points, including six goals, in three exhibition games. . . . F Jansen Harkins, who has nine points in three exhibition games, didn’t play last night as his Prince George Cougars beat the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings, 4-2. . . . F Ty Mappin was in Saskatoon’s lineup for the first time as the Blades beat the Prince Albert Raiders, 4-0, in Warman, Sask. Mappin, the seventh overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft by the Everett Silvertips, suffered a brain injury in the Blades’ intrasquad game on Aug. 24. The Blades acquired him from Everett over the off-season.
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Picture of the day. Check out the last names on the back of these jerseys pic.twitter.com/L5ABNJDuzR
— Matt Barber (@dixiefriedsport) September 6, 2014

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