Wheat Kings skate without Patrick . . . Estephan expected back for Game 3 . . . Two BCHL series go 7

The defending-champion Brandon Wheat Kings are down 2-0 and on the road again as the WHL playoffs resume Tuesday after taking Monday off. . . . The Wheat Kings lost Games 1 and 2 to the Tigers in Medicine Hat on the weekend, and now are in Dauphin, Man., for two games in the hopes of prolonging things. . . . The Wheat Kings haven’t had F Nolan Patrick in their lineup yet this series after he was injured in the second-last game of the regular season. He didn’t skate on Monday in Dauphin, so isn’t likely to play in Game 3. . . . Brandon G Logan Thompson, who left Saturday’s second game after a goal-mouth collision, was on the ice yesterday. . . . The Tigers, meanwhile, skated in Dauphin yesterday and they did so without D Brad Forrest, who was scratched from Game 2 as D Ty Schultz returned from a broken leg. Schultz was back in the Tigers’ lineup earlier than expected after Forrest suffered an undisclosed injury.

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The Regina Pats won the first two games of their first-round series with visiting Calgary on the weekend, outscoring the Hitmen 10-3 in the process. However, John Paddock, the Pats’ general manager and head coach, says there is lots of room for improvement. . . . “We’re glad we’re up 2-0, that’s for sure,” Paddock told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post on Monday. “They left us a lot of room for some teaching clips. It starts with intelligence and focus, (including) some of the penalties we took. We’re not playing near the kind of hockey you have to play.” . . . The Pats take a 10-game winning streak into Game 3 in Calgary tonight (Tuesday).

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The Lethbridge Hurricanes expect to have F Giorgio Estephan back in the lineup on Wednesday when they resume their series with the Red Deer Rebels. The teams split the first two games in Lethbridge. . . . Estephan left in the second period of Sunday’s Game 2, a 5-2 Hurricanes’ victory, after taking a high-stick to the face from Red Deer F Michael Spacek. . . . “He’s fine,” Lethbridge head coach Brent Kisio told Dale Woodard of the Lethbridge Herald. “He’s good to go.” . . . Of course, this being the playoffs, nothing will be official until the lineup sheet for Game 3 is posted.

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F Duncan Campbell, who began this season with the Brandon Wheat Kings, had a goal and an assist on Monday as his Penticton Vees beat the visiting Merritt Centennials, 6-2, in Game 7 of a BCHL semi-final series. The game drew 3,774 fans to the South Okanagan Events Centre. The Vees he'd led the series 3-1 before the Centennials won two straight games to force Game 7. . . . The Vees and Vernon Vipers will clash in the next round. . . . Meanwhile, at the Q Centre in Victoria, F Keyvan Mokhtari scored 57 seconds into the second OT to give the Grizzlies a 2-1 victory over the Powell River Kings in another Game 7. This one drew 1,705 fans. . . . Victoria advances to meet the Chilliwack Chiefs in the second semi-final.

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Three coaches with WHL experience have been chosen by BC Hockey to lead the team that will compete at the 2017 U-16 Western Canada Challenge Cup in Calgary and the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer. . . . Steve O’Rourke, an assistant coach with the Prince George Cougars, has been named head coach. He spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Red Deer Rebels before joining the Cougars. . . . Jason Becker and Brian Pellerin will serve as O’Rourke’s assistants. . . . Becker, a former WHL player, is an assistant with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. He spent five seasons as an assistant coach with Prince George and two as a head coach at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton. . . . Pellerin, also a former WHL player, is associate coach with the Tri-City Americans. He also has coaching experience in the AHL, the Central league and a sports school. . . . Kevin Pedersen, an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers, will be the video coach, with Kim Penner (Merritt Centennials) as trainer and Craig Carter (major midget Okanagan Rockets) as equipment manager.

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MONDAY GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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TUESDAY GAMES (all times local):

Moose Jaw at Swift Current, 7 p.m. (Series tied, 1-1)

Medicine Hat vs. Brandon, at Dauphin, Man., 7:30 p.m. (Medicine Hat leads, 2-0)

Regina at Calgary, 7 p.m. (Regina leads, 2-0)

Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m. (Kelowna leads, 2-0)

Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m. (Series tied, 1-1)

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Getting caught up . . .

F David Rutherford (Vancouver, Spokane, 2004-08) has signed a one-year contract with Visby/Roma (Sweden, Division 1). Last season, with the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL), he had nine points, including six goals, in 21 games. In 27 games with the Arizona Sundogs (CHL), he had 34 points, 14 of them goals. . . .
F Oleg Saprykin (Seattle, 1998-2000) has signed a one-year year contract with Sochi (Russia, KHL). Last season, with CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL), he had 18 points, including 10 goals, in 52 games. . . .
F Alexander Gogolev (Calgary, Victoria, 2011-13) was selected by Lada Togliatti (Russia, KHL) in Tuesday's KHL expansion draft. Last season, with Severstal Cherepovets (Russia, KHL), he had three points, one of them a goal in 24 games. . .
F Igor Bacek (Tri-City, 2005-06) has signed a one-year contract with Rostock Piranhas (Germany, Oberliga). Last season, with Lippe-Hockey-Hamm (Germany, Oberliga), he had 46 points, including 13 goals, in 38 games. . . .
F Tomas Netik (Medicine Hat, 2000-01) signed a one-yea contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, with Slovan, he had 14 points, including 11 goals, in 32 games. He was traded to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) for cash in December, and had a goal and two assists in 16 games there. . . .
F Matt MacKay (Moose Jaw, Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Brandon, 2008-11) signed a one-year contract with Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, DEL2). Last season, he had four points, including two goals, in 26 games with the Schwenninger Wild Wings (Germany, DEL). He also had three points, including a goal, in 11 games with Red Bull Munich. . . .
F Marek Viedensky (Prince George, Saskatoon, 2008-11) has signed a one-year deal with HPK Hämeenlinna (Finland, Liiga). Last season, he had 23 points, six of them goals, in 54 games with the Worcester Sharks (AHL). . . .
D Shawn Belle (Regina, Tri-City, 2000-05) signed a one-year contract with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL). Last season, with Färjestad Karlstad (Sweden, SHL), he had six points, including three goals, in 39 games. . . .
F Andrew Bailey (Kootenay, 2005-09) has signed a one-year contract with Harzer Falken Braunlage (Germany, Oberliga). Last season, with the University of Saskatchewan (CIS), he had 26 points, 13 of them goals, in 28 games. . . .
F Tyler Metcalfe (Seattle, 1999-2005) has signed a one-year extension with Miskolci Jegesmedvék (Hungary, MOL Liga). Last season, Metcalf had 55 points, 27 of them goals, in 42 games. He led the league in goals and was third in points. He led his team in goals and points, and was named to the first all-star team. . . .
D Kalvin Sagert (Kamloops, Lethbridge, Prince George, 2002-08) has signed a one-year contract with the Tønsberg Vikings (Norway, GET-Ligaen). Last season, Sagert had one assist in 11 games with the Wichita Thunder (CHL), 10 assists in 24 games with the San Francisco Bulls (ECHL), and a goal and three assists in 32 games with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL). . . .
F Chad Bassen (Regina, Vancouver, Medicine Hat, Everett, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL). Last season, with Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg (Germany, DEL), he had four points, including two goals, in 42 games. He has dual Canadian-German citizenship. . . .
F Jakub Rumpel (Medicine Hat, 2006-07) has signed a one-year extension with Herne (Germany, Oberliga). Last season, Rumpel led his team in scoring and finished third in the league, putting up 86 points, including 39 goals, in 36 games. He also was pointless in one game with Trnava (Slovakia, 1, Liga). . . .
F Keegan Dansereau (Calgary, Swift Current, 2003-09) has signed a one-year contract with Miskolci Jegesmedvék (Hungary, MOL Liga). Last season, with Olofström (Sweden, Division 1), he had 31 points, 16 of them goals in 39 games. . . .
G Chet Pickard (Tri-City, 2005-09) has signed a one-year contract with Odense (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). Last season, with the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL), he was 5.34 and .854 in six games. In 21 games with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL), he was 3.20 and .875. . . .
D Dustin Friesen (Swift Current, 2000-04) has signed a one-year contract with Ingolstad (Germany, DEL). Last season, with the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, DEL2), he had 33 points, five of them goals, in 54 games.
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 JUNE 17:
Darren Evjen won't be returning as the Swift Current Broncos' associate coach. He had been with the Broncos through four seasons. Mark Lamb, the Broncos' general manager and head coach, said in a news release that "we will be looking to fill the vacant associate coach position after the NHL entry draft." . . . According to the news release, "Evjen will remain with the Broncos in a smaller capacity" that will include working at their hockey school in August.

The Calgary Hitmen signed F Matt Dorsey, a third-round selection in the WHL’s 2014 bantam draft. From Wenatchee, Wash., Dorsey had 52 points, including 32 goals, in 30 games with the Tier 1 Bantam AAA Arizona Bobcats last season. He is expected to play for the midget AAA Everett Junior Silvertips in 2014-15.

The Portland Pirates, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes, have signed Trent Whitfield (Spokane, 1994-98) as an assistant coach. Whitfield, 36, ended his playing career after spending 2013-14 with Bolzano HC, an Italian team that plays in an Austrian league. . . . During his career, he spent parts of seven seasons with the Pirates.
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JUNE 16:
Jason Becker won't be returning to the Prince George Cougars' coaching staff. Becker (Saskatoon, Red Deer, Kamloops, Swift Current, 1990-95) has joined the coaching team at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton and will coach one of the midget teams. Becker had been with the Cougars since December 2009.

The Everett Silvertips traded D Austin Adam, 19, to the Moose Jaw Warriors for a conditional selection in the 2015 WHL bantam draft. . . . Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reported that the pick starts as an eighth and could become a sixth. . . . Adam played three seasons in Everett. He has 11 points, including four goals, in 127 regular-season games. . . . From Surrey, B.C., he was a fourth-round pick by Everett in the 2010 bantam draft.

The NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets have added Brad Larsen (Swift Current, 1993-97) to their coaching staff as an assistant under head coach Todd Richards. Larsen, who had been the head coach of the Springfield Falcons, the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, signed a multi-year contract. . . . The Blue Jackets also signed former Everett Silvertips head coach Craig Hartsburg to a multi-year contract extension. Hartsburg is preparing for his third season with Columbus.
The Blue Jackets then named Jared Bednar (Saskatoon, Spokane, Medicine Hat, Prince Albert, 1990-93) as the new head coach of the Falcons. Bednar spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Falcons. . . . Prior to that, he was the head coach of the AHL's Peoria Rivermen for two seasons. He also worked as an assistant coach with the AHL's Abbotsford Heat for a season.

The ECHL's Toledo Walleye have signed Dan Watson as associate coach, where he will work alongside head coach Derek Lalonde. Watson, who played in Toledo in 2006-07, was an assistant coach with the Walleye from 2009-14. He served as interim head coach after Nick Vitucci resigned in February.
Former NHLer Tony Hrkac has joined the USHL's Madison Capitols as an assistant coach. Hrkac, a star at the U of North Dakota as a player, went on to play 758 games in the NHL. In Madison, he will work with head coach Luke Strand and associate coach Keith Paulsen.
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JUNE 13:
The Prince George Cougars have signed F Jordan Ross to a WHL contract. From Kronau, Sask., Ross, 18, was selected by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the ninth round of the 2011 bantam draft. Last season, with the SJHL's Yorkton Terriers, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Ross had 15 points, including eight goals, in 43 regular-season games. He added eight points, five of them goals, in 14 playoff games. He also played in four RBC Cup games as the Terriers won the national championship.
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JUNE 12:
The Calgary Hitmen introduced Mark French as their new head coach, replacing Mike Williamson, who was fired following last season and has since surfaced with the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Hitmen are preparing for their 20th anniversary season; French is their eighth head coach. . . . French spent the past season as head coach of Medvescak Zagreb, an expansion team that had a 92-point regular-season and made the playoffs. . . . From Milton, Ont., French spent six seasons with the AHL's Hershey Bears, both as assistant and head coach. . . . He has major junior coaching experience with the OHL's North Bay Centennials (1999-2002). . . . The Hitmen also announced that associate coach Brent Kisio also will work as assistant general manager with GM Mike Moore, and that assistant coach Joel Otto and goaltending coach Darcy Wakaluk also are returning.

Dave Lowry, the head coach of the Victoria Royals, was named an assistant coach with Canada's national junior team. He will work alongside head coach Benoit Groulx (Gatineau Olympiques) and assistant coach Scott Walker (Guelph Storm). . . . This is Lowry's first coaching assignment under Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence. He had been named head coach of the summer U-18 team in 2009 but stepped down after signing on as an assistant coach with the NHL's Calgary Flames. . . . The 2015 World Junior Championship is scheduled for Montreal and Toronto, Dec. 26 through Jan. 5. . . . Team Canada will hold its summer development camp in Montreal, Aug. 3-9.

Derek Laxdal, the head coach of the Memorial Cup-champion Edmonton Oil Kings, has been named head coach of Canada's summer U-18 team that will play in the Ivan Hlinka tournament in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia, Aug. 11-16. . . . Jody Hull (Peterborough Petes) and Eric Veilleux (Baie-Comeau Drakkar) will be the assistant coaches. . . . This is Laxdal's first assignment in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence. . . . The U-18 team will hold its selection camp in Calgary, Aug. 2-5, and will then head for Europe and the tournament. . . . Canada, which has won 16 of the last 18 tournaments, goes into this one having won six in a row.

The Central league's Missouri Mavericks have signed Richard Matvichuk (Saskatoon, 1989-92) as head coach. A defenceman, Matvichuk played 14 seasons in the NHL, retiring after the 2006-07 season. . . . He was an assistant coach with the Allen Americans each of the last two seasons, helping the team to consecutive CHL championships. . . . He replaces Scott Hillman, who resigned in May and signed on as head coach of the Indianapolis Fuel, the ECHL's newest team.
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JUNE 11:
Following the conclusion of its AGM in Vancouver, the WHL announced that it has changed its playoff format. The new format will be in place for three seasons, starting in 2014-15.
Here's how it will work:
The top three teams in each of the WHL's four division will qualify for the playoffs, along with the next two highest-placed finishers in each conference. Under this system, one division could have five qualifiers with another having three.
In the first round, the team with the best regular-season record in each conference will meet the wild-card team with the poorest record. The second division winner gets the other wild-card team. . . . The second- and third-place finishers in each division will meet in the first round, thus allowing the WHL to take advantage of divisional rivalries.
The second round will feature first-round winners within each bracket, with four teams moving on to conference finals.
According to a WHL news release: "Home-ice advantage through the first two rounds goes to the team that placed higher in the regular-season standings. In the conference finals and WHL championship series, home-ice advantage goes to the team that had the better regular-season record -- regardless of the teams' final standings in their respective divisions."
The WHL also announced it will release its preseason scheduled on June 24 and its regular-season schedule on June 25.

The Prince Geoge Cougars signed F Justin Almeida and D Max Martin, two of their 2014 bantam draft picks, to contracts. . . . Almeida, from Kitimat, B.C., was the fifth overall pick. He is expected to play for the major midget Cariboo Cougars, who are based in Prince George, in 2014-15. Last season, he had 147 points, 80 of them goals, in 70 games with the bantam AAA North Shore Winter Club Winterhawks. . . . Martin, from Winnipeg, was selected in the second round. Last season, with the major bantam AAA Winnipeg Monarchs, he had 59 points, including 18 goals, in 32 regular-season games.
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JUNE 10:
The Brandon Wheat Kings signed F Stelio Mattheos, the first overall selection in the WHL's 2014 bantam draft. . . . Mattheos, from Winnipeg, played last season with the bantam AAA Winnipeg Monarchs, putting up 103 points, including 53 goals, in 35 regular-season games. He captained the Monarchs. . . . This draft marked the first time in franchise history that the Wheat Kings held the first overall pick.

The Saskatoon Blades acquired the rights to G Collin Olson, 20, from the Prince George Cougars for D Joel Lakusta and a sixth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. . . . Lakusta, from Sherwood Park, Alta., was a seventh-round pick by the Blades in the 2013 bantam draft. He will turn 16 on June 24. . . . Last season, he had 14 points, four of them goals, in 35 games with the midget AAA Sherwood Park Kings. . . . Olson, from Apple Valley, Minn., was listed by the Cougars before the 2012-13 season. Last season, he played with the NCAA's Ohio State Buckeyes and the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers. He was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the sixth round of the NHL's 2012 draft. . . . Olson got into only two games with the Buckeyes, before joining the Musketeers and going 12-3 with one tie, 2.31, .923.
The trade was the first made by Bob Woods, the Blades' new GM/head coach. He spoke with Olson after making the deal. "Goaltending's an issue we wanted to look at and make sure we have all the options possible. It's a pretty important position," Woods told Kevin Mitchell, the sports editor at the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. "We felt it was worth the risk. He's a pretty good goaltender, and with all the research I did on him, there was a lot of good feedback. We want to see if we can maybe steer him in our direction."

The Prince Albert Raiders signed D Cody Thompson and F Josh Maser, both of whom were selected in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . Thompson, from Killarney, Man., was taken in the third round. He had 19 points, eight of the goals, in 29 games with the midget AAA Southwest Cougars. . . . Maser, from Penticton, B.C., was a fourth-round selection. He had 127 points, 72 of them goals, in 61 games with the Tier 2 bantam Vees. . . . The Raiders have signed their top three picks from the 1014 draft.

Brian Pellerin, who had been coaching at the Okanagan Hockey Academy, signed on with the Tri-City Americans as associate coach. . . . Pellerin, 44, spent the past three seasons at OHA. . . . He was on the coaching staff of the Portland Winterhawks for four seasons (2004-08). He also spent a season as an associate coach with the AHL's San Antonio Rampage and two seasons as head coach of the Central league's Amarillo Gorillas. . . . A native of Hinton, Alta., his playing career included four seasons (1987-91) with the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Dan Price, an assistant coach for two seasons with the Americans, won't be returning.

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1. So who is the 14-year-old — he’ll turn 15 on June 19 — who already has committed to the U of Minnesota-Duluth? F Joey Anderson, a ninth-round selection by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2013 bantam draft, says: “I was ready for this and now I can just go out and play.” . . . Kevin Pates of the Duluth News Tribune has more right here.

2. Team officials from the Medicine Hat Tigers have seen the plans for a new arena for that city and they like what they saw. A design for a new arena is scheduled to be made public on June 11. Collin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News has more right here.

3. That didn’t take long. Less than a week after negotiations fell apart with their radio home for 19 years, 99.3 The Drive, the Prince George Cougars have a five-year deal with 94X Radio. All games will be carried at 94.3 FM and online at 94xfm.com. Dan O’Connor returns for a third season as the play-by-play voice with Hartley Miller, 94X’s sports director, also in the booth. . . . 94X is owned by Vista Radio; 99.3 The Drive is owned by The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group. . . . Peter James of the Prince George Citizen has more right here.

4. The Vancouver Giants have signed G Ryan Kubic, who was a second-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. Kubic, from Winnipeg, played with the bantam AAA Winnipeg Hawks, putting up a 1.31 GAA and .941 save percentage in 24 games.

5. Darrell Romuld of CTV in Lethbridge tweeted Tuesday that “reliable sources tell me that Drake Berehowsky will be the next head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. We’ll find out next Thursday.” . . . Berehowsky just finished his first season as head coach of the ECHL’s Orlando SolarBears. Prior to that, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen. He also spent two seasons (2007-09) as an assistant with the OHL’s Barrie Colts. A defenceman, Berehowsky was the 10th overall selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL’s 1990 draft and went on to play 549 NHL games with Toronto, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks and Phoenix Coyotes.

6. ESPN broke the story yesterday that Major League Baseball may suspend a whack of players for up to 100 games for using whatever it was they were getting from the Biogenesis clinic in South Florida. Michael Rosenberg of SI.com has a good piece right here on the sample collector who got singed by Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers.

7. An assistant coach who also is the team president? Hey, why not? That’s what’s going on in Surrey where the BCHL’s Eagles have named Peter Schaefer (Brandon, 1994-97) as the team president. Schaefer just completed his first season as an assistant coach with the Eagles. "As an ownership group, we were excited to have Peter as a part of the coaching staff last season," said Eagles majority owner Chuck Westgard in a news release. "He showed an interest in having an increased role, and we're extremely pleased that Peter will be taking over the daily operations of the team.”

8. Of course Chicago Blackhawks D Duncan Keith should be suspended for at least one game for reckless use of his stick. Why is this even open for debate? . . . In fact, give him one game for that and another because the stick made contact with an opponent’s head.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jason Becker will be back for another go-round as an assistant coach with the Prince George Cougars. Becker, who has been with the Cougars since December 2009, and the Cougars have agreed on a one-year contract extension, taking him through 2013-14. . . . Becker is a former WHL player (Saskatoon, Red Deer, Kamloops, Swift Current, 1990-95), who went on to spent three seasons with the U of Saskatchewan Huskies before playing nine seasons in Europe.

Steve Turcotte of lapresse.ca reports that Bernard Martin will be the next head coach of the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes. . . . He will replace Denis Chalifoux., who left at season’s end despite having two years left on his contract. Chalifoux cited a desire to spend more time with his family. . . . Martin was the head coach of the QMJHL’s Victoriaville Tigres (2006-08).


The ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets have named Gary Graham as their new head coach. Graham spent this season guiding the Pensacola Ice Flyers to the Southern Professional Hockey League title. Before that, he worked as an assistant coach for four seasons under Al Sims, who retired following the end of the season. Graham is a native of Fort Wayne.


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Clouston eager to take next step

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Defeat, it seems, does not rest lightly on the shoulders of Connor Clouston.
“That was a tough loss,” Clouston, a 16-year-old defenceman from Medicine Hat, said Sunday afternoon after his Team White had dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to Team Grey in the wrapup game at Team Pacific’s U-17 regional camp at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre.
The Grey guys got shootout goals from defenceman Ryan Gagnon of Quesnel and forward Ryan Graham of Calgary, while their goaltender, Jordan Papirny of Calgary, shut down Team White.
“It was a bad way to lose . . . in a shootout,” said Clouston. “But I thought we worked hard. I was pretty happy with what our team did.”
The game brought to an end a camp that had opened Wednesday, featuring 68 players —32 from Alberta and 36 from B.C. A final 22-player roster will be selected in November to play in the 2013 U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Drummondville and Victoriaville, Que., Dec. 28 through Jan. 4.
Team Pacific head coach Jason Becker, who is an assistant coach with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, said he really liked what he saw during the camp, especially in the latter days.
“On Friday and Saturday, the compete level was high,” Becker stated. “There was a lot of intensity. Now, we just have to let the process play itself out.”
That means team officials, like head scout Wade Klippenstein, who also works as Prince George’s assistant general manager and director of player personnel, keeping an eye on players over the early months of the approaching season.
Clouston, who was selected by Kamloops in the third round of the 2011 bantam draft, hopes Team Pacific people will be able to watch him play for the Blazers. The son of Medicine Hat Tigers head coach Shaun Clouston, Connor plans on returning to Kamloops for the start of rookie camp on Aug. 25.
“My goal is to get a spot on the team,” said Clouston, who will start school here in September. “I just want to push for a spot on the team.”
When camp opens, the Blazers should have five veteran defencemen back from last season’s squad — Tyler Hansen, Marek Hrbas, Tyler Bell, Brady Gaudet and Landon Cross. So there definitely will be room for someone like Clouston, who is more of a Hansen-type player than an offensive whiz kid.
Asked to describe himself as a defenceman, the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder Clouston replied: “Defensive defenceman . . . physical . . . shut down . . . good first pass.”
And is he mean enough to play that way in the WHL?
“Oh, yeah,” he said with a smile.
And that is pretty much how he played at the Team Pacific camp.
“I thought I had a good camp,” Clouston said. “I thought I stepped up to the occasion. There was tough competition out there, but it was about what I thought it was going to be.
“I worked hard and did my best. It was fun.”
Shaun Clouston was in attendance, too, watching his son as a father and not as a coach. He said he coached Connor early on during his minor hockey career, but gave it up because he wanted a father-son relationship as opposed to a coach-son thing.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a household rivalry between the Tigers’ head coach and his son, the potential Blazers defenceman.
“Definitely there is some friendly rivalry between me and my dad,” Connor said, laughing and adding that he does have a couple of Blazers caps and t-shirts that he has been known to wear.
“My dad doesn’t mind,” he said while stifling a laugh.
No, Dad doesn’t mind. At least, for now.
JUST NOTES: F Blake Penner of Medicine Hat and F Spencer Meyer of Surrey missed the camp due to injuries. F Logan Mick of Vernon and F Mitchell Barker of Kamloops were added in those spots. . . . F Brayden Point and F Tanner MacMaster, both of Calgary, scored for Team Grey in regulation time, with D Brandon Hickey of Leduc, Alta., and D Mitch Meek of Victoria replying for Team White. . . . Becker has been invited to work as a coach at Canada’s U-18 camp in Toronto, Aug. 3-6. F Matt Needham of the Blazers will attend that camp. . . . Hrbas, who is from Plzen, Czech Republic, is expected to see some action this week as that country’s U-20 team plays two exhibition games against Sweden.


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By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor

This hockey offseason has been anything but for Jason Becker. Not that he minds.
Becker, a 38-year-old native of Saskatoon, arrived in Kamloops on Sunday afternoon to begin final preparations for the Team Pacific camp that will run from Wednesday through Sunday at the McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre.
In his other life, Becker is the lead assistant coach with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars.
After last season, he was named head coach of Team Pacific, a squad that will play in the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Drummondville and Victoriaville, Que., Dec. 28 through Jan. 4.

JASON BECKER

There will be 68 players, 34 from each of Alberta and B.C., at this week’s camp.
“I’ve seen all of them since the end of the season,” Becker said.
He was at B.C.’s U-17 camp in Salmon Arm from May 8-13 and, two weeks later, attended Alberta’s camp in Leduc.
“It was a big deal for me to go over there,” Becker said, referencing the fact that it hasn’t been common practice for a coach from one province to cross over into the other province in these situations. “Hockey Alberta was very accommodating.”
Becker was quick to add that also has had a lot of help from Wade Klippenstein, who is Team Pacific’s head scout and also is the Cougars’ assistant GM and director of player personnel.
“Wade is pretty much in charge of watching the players and doing the reports,” said Becker, who has two assistant coaches — Steve Hamilton of the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings and Brandon West of the BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks. “He has been watching these guys for two years already so he knows all the background.”
The camp opens with registration on Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. The rest of the day will be taken up with meetings, fitness testing and evening practices.
On each of the next three days, each team will practice for an hour and be involved in a two-hour game. The games will be of the serious variety, too, because there will be championship and third-place games on Sunday.
“I don’t think anyone is on the team right now,,” Becker said. “But a player certainly will be able to help his cause at this camp.
“We want the kids to compete their best and play their hardest. This is a short-term competition so should give us some insight into how they would do in the competition in Quebec.
“But they all have a clean slate right now. We will grade them on how they do here.”
Six of the players in camp are from Kamloops. Defenceman Joe Hicketts, who will be trying to crack the roster of the WHL’s Victoria Royals, and forward Ryan Gropp (BCHL-Penticton Vees) are on Team Black. Defenceman Matt Murray, whose WHL rights belong to the Kootenay Ice, is on Team Grey. Goaltender Liam McLeod, a bantam draft pick by the Kamloops Blazers in 2011, defenceman Carter Cochrane, an Everett Silvertips’ prospect, and forward Chad Butcher, whose WHL rights belong to the Medicine Hat Tigers, are on Team Red.
Becker played for the Saskatoon Blades, Red Deer Rebels, Kamloops and Swift Current Broncos from 1990-95 before going on to spent three seasons at the U of Saskatchewan. He then played nine seasons of pro hockey, eight of them in Europe, before turning to coaching.
Becker has been on the Cougars’ coaching staff, working alongside head coach Dean Clark, since December 2009.
JUST NOTES: Games will be held Thursday through Saturday at 6 and 8:15 p.m. On Sunday, the third-place game is scheduled for 9 a.m., with the championship game at 1:15 p.m. . . . D Connor Clouston of Medicine Hat, a third-round selection by the Blazers in the 2011 bantam draft, is on Team White. . . . F Jake Virtanen of Abbotsford, who went to the Calgary Hitmen with the first selection of the 2011 bantam draft, is on Team Black. He got into nine games with the Hitmen as a 15-year-old and scored three times. He got his first WHL goal in Kamloops on Dec. 30 as the Hitmen beat the Blazers, 6-3.

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Two fans of the Red Deer Rebels
get married in Mexico.

THE MacBETH REPORT:F Max Brandl (Prince Albert, Portland, 2007-09) signed a one-year contract extension with the Landshut Cannibals (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had 11 goals and 19 assists in 47 games for the 2.Bundesliga champion Cannibals. . . .
D Ivan Barenka (Everett, 2003-05) signed a one-year contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL). He had five goals and 16 assists in 47 games for Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL), where he was an alternate captain for Spartak this season. . . .
F Tyler Maxwell (Everett, Edmonton, 2008-12) signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had 37 goals and 34 assists in 66 games split between Everett and Edmonton this season. Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald has the story right here.
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The photo at the top of today’s entry was tweeted by Kasla Millar (@kayla_millar), along with this: “My husband and I got married in Mexico and look what we brought with us! #rebelpride”
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The U of Alberta has hired Ian Herbers as its latest hockey coach.
Herbers (Kelowna, Spokane, Lethbridge, Swift Current, 1984-88) is a former U of A player. He takes over from Stan Marple, who now is the program’s general manager. Marple coached one season after replacing Eric Thurston (Victoria, 1981-84).
Herbers has been coaching for nine seasons, the last three with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. He took over as head coach early this season when Kirk Muller signed on as head coach with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.
It was a desire to have the U of A position that ultimately cost Kris Knoblauch his head-coaching position with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice.
Knoblauch completed two season’s as the Ice’s head coach and, in fact, won the WHL’s 2011 championship in Cranbrook. When the U of A posted its head-coaching position, Marple contacted Knoblauch, who expressed an interest but had one year remaining on his contract with the Ice.
Chynoweth provided Knoblauch with a one-week window to explore the situation, but then was led to believe that Knoblauch would fulfil the terms of his contract. Chynoweth later gave Knoblauch a one-year extension, taking him through 2013-14.
It is worth noting that despite the fact Knoblauch was under contract, no one from the U of A contacted Chynoweth to ask for permission to speak with Knoblauch. (I am told that one U of A player has apologized to Chynoweth, via email, for the way all of this was handled.)
However, when Chynoweth learned Friday that Knoblauch was on the U of A’s shortlist and, in fact, was scheduled to be interviewed, he terminated his head coach’s contract.
(Evan Daum of the Edmonton Journal has more right here on how the U of A search for a head coach turned into something of a gong show.
(Robin Brownlee, over at oilersnation.com, says the whole thing doesn’t pass the smell test. That’s right here.)
At this point in time, there are two WHL teams without head coaches — the Ice and Brandon Wheat Kings, whose owner, Kelly McCrimmon, fired Cory Clouston earlier this month.
Clouston, of course, is a former Kootenay head coach, but don’t expect him to re-surface with the Ice.
And while you’re at it, you can scratch Dean Chynoweth, Jeff’s brother, off the list, too. Dean is available, having been fired from his position as assistant coach by the New York Islanders when their season ended. Yeah, that was all his fault, just like the Calgary Flames’ woes last season were Ryan McGill’s fault. The Flames, you’ll recall, dropped McGill as an assistant coach after the 2010-11 season.
McGill, of course, is another former Ice coach. He was out of hockey this season. Might he be interested in a return to Cranbrook? Likely not, but never say never.
The Wheat Kings, meanwhile, aren’t likely to hire a head coach unless Clouston finds work elsewhere. He had a year left on his contract, meaning the Wheat Kings are on the hook for that unless he signs on with another organization.
The leading candidate in Brandon, at least at this moment, has to be McCrimmon. He was head coach for seven seasons prior to hiring Clouston, and the team posted 298 regular-season victories with him behind the bench.
Anyway, just for fun, here’s a look at some potential candidates for head-coaching positions — they are presented in no particular order, other than the first one who will at the top of most lists like this:
DAVE HUNCHAK: Presently the associate coach with the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Has been WHL coach for eight seasons, four as head guy in Moose Jaw. . . . .Gets lots of credit for amazing turnaround in Kamloops this season. . . . Believed to have window in contract from sometime in June into August that would allow him to move. . . . Won’t move just to become head coach. Has been there and done that. . . . Might be more interested in a position like the Milwaukee head-coaching vacancy than a move within the WHL.
JASON BECKER: Assistant coach with the Prince George Cougars since 2009. . . . Played in WHL (Saskatoon, Red Deer, Kamloops, Swift Current, 1990-94). Also played in CIS, WCHL and in Europe. . . . Was a defenceman. . . . Earlier this month was named head coach Team Pacific for the U17 World Hockey Challenge. . . . Eager, energetic, enthusiastic.
GLEN HANLON: Has coaching experience in the NHL and in Europe. . . . Former Brandon Wheat Kings goaltender just finished his first season as an assistant with the Vancouver Giants. . . . For family reasons, he isn’t likely to leave B.C.’s Lower Mainland. . . . Should Vancouver head coach Don Hay leave — let’s just say he signs on as an assistant coach under Ken Hitchcock with the St. Louis Blues — Hanlon would be the leading candidate to take over the Giants.
STEVE HAMILTON: Assistant coach with Edmonton Oil Kings for two seasons now. . . . Was GM and head coach of AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints for four seasons before joining Oil Kings. . . . Saints went 52-4-4 to win AJHL title in 2009-10. . . . A real up-and-coming candidate.
DAVE LOWRY: Was head coach of Calgary Hitmen for one season (2008-09), going 59-9-4. . . . Promptly moved up to the parent Calgary Flames where he spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach before being dumped after this season.
JON KLEMM: Former WHL and pro defenceman has been an assistant coach with the Spokane Chiefs for three seasons. . . . Played 773 regular-season NHL games. . . . He’s from Cranbrook.
CHAD MERCIER: General manager and head coach of AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs since April 2006. . . . Former WHL goaltender with WHL coaching experience with the Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades. . . . One of these summers his phone is going to ring.
MALCOLM CAMERON: Just complete his first season as an assistant coach under Pat Conacher with the Regina Pats. . . . Was head coach for nine seasons in ECHL, United league and Central league before signing with Regina. . . . Wants to be a head coach again. . . . Gets high marks from Conacher.
DARREN KRUGER: Former WHL defenceman joined the Medicine Hat Tigers’ coaching staff in January 2006. . . . Veteran assistant coach may be ready to take the giant step.
DEAN BROCKMAN: General manager and head coach of SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos. . . . Won four titles in six seasons. . . . Has been with the Broncos for 11 seasons. . . . Would he leave the farm?
GORD THIBODEAU: General manager and head coach of AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. . . . Has been with the Oil Barons since 2003-04. . . . Applied for head coaching job at U of Alberta. That position was attractive as he is from Edmonton, his family lives there and he played for the Golden Bears. . . . Perhaps he isn’t prepared to move anywhere other than Edmonton.
MIKE VANDENBERGHE: Former WHL defenceman (Moose Jaw, Brandon, Medicine Hat, 1987-92). . . . Has worked on coaching staffs with Brandon and Moose Jaw. Presently assistant coach with the Warriors. . . . Also has coached at the CIS and junior A levels. . . . Has all the qualifications. . . . But would he leave his home in Regina Beach, Sask., where you can bet that he’s been into Butler’s for fish and chips?
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jomar Cruz has stepped aside as head coach of the MJHL’s OCN Blizzard, a franchise that is based in The Pas. Cruz, a goaltender, played in the WHL with Brandon, Tri-City and Portland (1997-2000). He had been with the Blizzard since 2006.
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The Chicago Blackhawks made it official Tuesday. They have signed two WHL goaltenders – Kent Simpson of the Everett Silvertips and Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Simpson was a second-round selection in the 2010 NHL draft, while the Blackhawks took Carruth in the seventh round. . . . Had the players not been signed by Friday, they would have been made available in the 2012 draft. . . . Both players are 20 years of age, meaning they are eligible to play one more season in the WHL. But they also are eligible to play professionally so could end up anywhere in Chicago’s organization.
Alan Caldwell, over at Small Thoughts at Large, has been keeping track of who from the 2010 draft has signed and who hasn’t.
It appears that the Edmonton Oilers are working to sign D Brandon Davidson, who completed his eligibility with the Regina Pats this season, but will let Kootenay Ice F Drew Czerwonka re-enter the draft. Both were sixth-round selections in the 2010 draft.
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Barclay Parneta, Tri-City’s prospect
development coach and head scout,
welcomes Parker Wotherspoon
to the Americans.

The Tri-City Americans have signed D Parker Wotherspoon to a WHL contract. He was Tri-City’s first-round selection, 21st overall, in the 2012 bantam draft. A native of Surrey, B.C., Wotherspoon had 54 points in 55 games with the bantam AAA Cloverdale Colts this season. . . . Wotherspoon is likely to play for the major midget Valley West Hawks nexdt season. . . . He is the younger brother of Portland Winterhawks D Tyler Wotherspoon.
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An interesting note from James Shewaga, the sports editor of the Brandon Sun:
“For the first time in 19 years, organizers of the Source for Sports AAA Hockey Challenge have suspended a player indefinitely from their spring and summer hockey tournaments.
Tournament director Darryl Wolski handed the suspension to a 15-year-old player from Winnipeg for reportedly slashing a referee with his stick during the championship final of the 1997 age group division on Sunday at Westman Place. The player in question, who was selected in this year’s Western Hockey League bantam draft, was being escorted off the ice following his ejection from the game.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Alexander Boikov (Victoria/Prince George, Tri-City, 1993-96) signed a one-year contract extension with Dynamo Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had one goal and six assists in 41 games with Dynamo this season. . . .
By my count, Boikov, Winnipeg Jets G Chris Mason and D Dwayne Newman (Chelmsford, England National League) are the only players still playing pro hockey who played for the Victoria Cougars. Victoria relocated to Prince George for the 1994-95 season.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Twenty years to the day after he celebrated a Memorial Cup victory, Tom Renney was dumped as head coach of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. On May 17, 1992, Renney’s Kamloops Blazers beat the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 5-4 in the Memorial Cup final in Seattle. On Thursday, Edmonton GM Steve Tambellini travelled to Castlegar, B.C., and informed Renney that his contract wouldn’t be renewed. . . .
Chris Johnston, who played in the WHL with Brandon, Red Der and Regina (1990-95), is the new head coach of the midget AAA Southwest Cougars, who play out of Souris, Man. This season, he was the head coach of the bantam AA Brandon Wheat Kings. Johnston, who is from Brandon, replaces Troy Leslie, who now is the head coach of the MJHL’s Virden Oil Capitals. . . . Johnston is the son of former WHL player and coach Mark Johnston. . . .
Mark DeSantis, an assistant coach with the Central league’s Rapid City Rush, has signed on as head coach of the Southern Professional league’s Fayetteville FireAntz. . . . DeSantis is a former Rush captain who has been an assistant coach for three seasons. . . . The FireAntz began the season with Sean Gillam as head coach; he was fired Feb. 16 and Todd Bidner was named interim head coach.
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Jason Becker, the lead assistant coach with the Prince George Cougars, has been named head coach of Team Pacific that will compete in the 2013 U-17 World Hockey Challenge. That tournament runs Dec. 28 through Jan. 4 in Victoriaville and Drummondville, Que. . . . Wade Klippenstein, the Cougars’ assistant GM and director of player personnel, has been named Team Pacific’s head scout, while Steve Hamilton, an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oil Kings, will work with Becker as an assistant coach. . . . Also on the staff will be athletic therapist Brian Cheeseman, also of the Oil Kings. . . . Brent Polischuk of Victoria is the director of operations, while Brandon West of Kelowna is the other assistant coach and Troy Clifford of Kamloops is the equipment manager. . . . Team Pacific will comprise the top 22 players from the Pacific Region (Alberta and B.C.), with 34 players from each region taking part in a camp in Kamloops, July 25-29. The final 22-player roster will be announced in November.
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Shane Malloy at The Art of Scouting has posted his top 40 eligibles for the NHL’s 2012 draft. That list is right here.
Malloy has D Griffin Reinhart of the Edmonton Oil Kings listed fourth overall, proving once again that a draft-eligible player can only do himself a whole lot of good with a deep playoff run.
Interestingly, Malloy is swimming a bit against the stream as he has Red Deer Rebels D Matt Dumba ranked No. 25.
The list is right here.
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Jesse Wallin, the general manager and head coach of the Red Deer Rebels, along with his wife Jenn, will be taking part in an awareness session on concussions. Concussion: A Game Changer is scheduled for June 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the Frontier Room at Westerner Park in Red Deer. The Wallins know of what they speak as Jesse’s career ended because of concussion problems.
Jim Claggett of the Red Deer Express has more right here.
“As a traditionalist I’d love to see hockey maintain a physicality in the game," Wallin tells Claggett. "I think that’s a big part of hockey but I think if we’re going to be able to do that there’s going to have to be a level of respect in the game.
“It’s the old adage, do unto others as you would have done to you.”
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JUST NOTES:
G Drew Owsley, who played out his eligibility last season with the Prince George Cougars, has committed to attend St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., and play for the X-Men. . . . Owley announced the move via Twitter last night: “Excited to announce I committed to StFX university of be an X-men!” . . . D Bronson Maschmeyer, who finished up his WHL career with the Kamloops Blazers this season, announced Wednesday that he, too, will attend St. FX and play for the X-Men. . . .
F Joe Antilla, who played five seasons with the Kootenay Ice, will attend UBC and play for the Thunderbirds next season. He has been accepted into the UBC School of Kinesiology. . . . In 340 regular-season games with the Ice, he put up 140 points, including 56 goals.
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Rob Facca is an assistant coach with the Western Michigan  Broncos whose four-year-old son, Louie, 4, has been diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal genetic disorder.
Rob’s father, Bob, was devastated by the news and has decided to go for a long, long walk.
Their story is right here.

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