Showing posts with label Jay Varady. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jay Varady. Show all posts

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Balcers, Clifford, True get contracts ... Battah heads overseas . . . About that $1 million


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 F Bruno Mráz (Brandon, 2011-12) has signed a one-year contract with Metallurg Novokuznetsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga). Last season, he had 17 goals and 19 assists in 44 games with Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga). . . . 
D Roman Pšurný (Medicine Hat, 2004-06) haa signed a one-year extension with Přerov (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). Last season, he had 12 goals and 19 assists in 29 games. Pšurný tied for the team lead in scoring despite missing 23 games.
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Jeff Battah, who has worked in the WHL, is off to Austria as the goaltending coach with the Graz 99ers (Erste Bank Liga). Battah, 36, has been coaching since 2001, both as an assistant coach and as a goaltending coach. He has worked in the WHL, with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Prince George Cougars, as well as in the AJHL and BCHL and in U Sports. With the 99ers, his first European assignment, he will work alongside head coach Doug Mason.
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The Everett Silvertips have signed goaltending coach Shane Clifford to a contract extension, the length of which wasn’t disclosed. Clifford, 46, is preparing for his 11th season with the Silvertips. In that position, he has tutored Carter Hart, the WHL’s goaltender of the year in each of the past two seasons. . . . According to a news release, Clifford, who is from Cincinnati, has coached professionally with the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL) and Les Ducs d’Angers (French Elite League), with goalies in the college ranks at Ohio State University (NCAA), and goaltenders across two separate tiers of junior levels for the Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) and Wenatchee Wild (NAHL).” . . . The Silvertips are heading into their 15th WHL season and earlier in the week they unveiled sweaters “the team will wear for home and road games designed to commemorate the anniversary campaign.” You are able to get a look at those sweaters by clicking right here.
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Jay Varady, the new head coach
of the Kingston Frontenacs.
(Photo: kingstonfrontenacs.com)
The OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs introduced former WHL coach Jay Varady as their new head coach on Thursday. Varady, 39, spent the past four seasons as the head coach of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. . . . Last season, the Musketeers finished with the USHL’s best regular-season record, and a franchise-record 87 points, and reached the championship final before bowing out to the Chicago Steel. Varady was named the USHL’s coach of the year. . . . In four seasons with Sioux City, Varady was 136-88-10. . . . Varady, a native of Cahokia, Ill., spent eight seasons (2003-11) with the Everett Silvertips, as assistant coach and then associate coach. . . . In Kingston, Varady replaces Paul McFarland, now an assistant coach with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed G Bryan Thomson and D Jonah Regier, both of whom played last season for the bantam AAA Notre Dame Hounds. . . . Thomson was a second-round pick in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. From Moose Jaw, he was 3-13-1, 3.72, .895 in the regular season, then went 2-1-0, 2.33, .935 in the playoffs. . . . The Hurricanes selected Regier one pick after having taken Thomson. Regier, from Weyburn, Sask., had two goals and three assists in 30 regular-season games, then was pointless in four playoff games.
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F Rudolfs Balcers, who played last season with the Kamloops Blazers, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. . . . Balcers, a 20-year-old Latvian, was a fifth-round selection in the NHL’s 2015 draft. He is expected to play in San Jose’s organization in 2017-18. . . . Last season, the 5-foot-11, 165-pounder had 77 points, 40 of them goals, in 66 games with Kamloops. . . . The Blazers are likely to open the 2017-18 season with veteran D Ondrej Vala, who will be playing his third season in Kamloops, and Swiss F Justin Sigrist, picked in the 2017 CHL import draft, as their two import players.
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F Alexander True, who scored the biggest goal in the Seattle Thunderbirds’ history, has signed a two-year contract with the San Jose Barracuda, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. . . . True, who will turn 20 on Monday, is from Denmark. He finished last season with 25 goals and 15 assists in 66 games, then added 12 goals and 10 assists in 20 playoff games. That included the winner at 12:36 of OT as the Thunderbirds beat the host Regina Pats, 4-3, in Game 6 of the WHL’s championship series. Seattle won the series and the Ed Chynoweth Cup, 4-2. . . . In 169 career regular-season games, True had 45 goals and 39 assists. . . . True spent last week in the Sharks’ developmental camp. . . . True’s father, Soren, was a 12th-round pick by the New York Rangers in the NHL’s 1986 draft.
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F Austin Glover, who played out his junior eligibility last season, will attend UBC and play for the Thunderbirds in 2017-18. Glover totalled 22 goals and 36 assists in 69 games split between the Prince Albert Raiders and Red Deer Rebels. . . . Glover, who also played with the Kelowna Rockets, totalled 146 points, including 51 goals, during a 224-game WHL career. . . . He was second-round pick by Kelowna in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft.
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Before shutting things down for the remainder of the summer, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet filed one last 30 Thoughts. As he points out, when he returns for another the season, the NHL will have 31 teams and that means he’ll be writing 31 Thoughts. . . . His final 30 Thoughts, then, is right here.
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You are almost out of time, but you still have time to register and attend the seventh annual TeamSnap Hockey Coaches Conference that runs in Vancouver today (Friday) and Saturday. If you click on The Coaches Site website right here to register, you are able to get a 20-per-cent discount by entering the coupon code TakingNote.
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If you would like to contact Taking Note with information, have a question or just feel like commenting on something, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com. I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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Concussion Report

 The CFL has a new commissioner in Randy Ambrosie but, writes Paul Wiecek of the Winnipeg Free Press, the new guy “sounds a whole lot like the old commissioner of the CFL” when it comes to talking about CTE. . . . Wiecek’s column, which is headlined ‘CFL should do the right thing and pull its concussed head out of the sand,’ is right here.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:57 PM
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Friday, April 14, 2017

Rockets, Thunderbirds to meet again ... Pats stay alive ... Hurricanes have the edge

Scattershoot

The Regina Pats welcomed back forwards Adam Brooks (knee) and Filip Ahl (mumps) on Friday night as they played host to the Swift Current Broncos in a second-round playoff game. However, Brooks spent the entire game watching from the bench. Brooks, with 250 points over the past two seasons, was injured in Game 2. . . . Ahl hadn’t played since Game 1. . . . Brooks isn’t expected to play in Game 6 today in Swift Current. . . . Regina took out F Duncan Pierce and F Kjell Kjemhus. . . . The Broncos, meanwhile, added F Mackenzie Wight and F Brandan Arnold. Wight served a two-game suspension for a hit on Brooks in Game 2. Arnold, 19, made his playoff debut after being with the SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks, whose season is over. . . . To get Wight and Arnold in, the Broncos scratched D Noah King and F Logan Barlage.
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In Kelowna last night, the Rockets were without D Cal Foote and F Carsen Twarynski (both suspended) and F Erik Gardiner and D Braydyn Chizen (both injured). . . . Twarynski’s suspension was set at one game on Friday. He took a boarding major and game misconduct in Game 4 for a hit on Portland F Keegan Iverson. We can assume Twarynski got one game because Iverson wasn’t injured. . . . The Winterhawks had F Alex Overhardt back from a one-game suspension, but were without F Evan Weinger, who completed a two-game suspension. . . . Portland F Skyler McKenzie (concussion) sat out a second game after taking a Foote elbow to the head. . . . Foote is two games into a three-game suspension, so will miss Game 1 of the Western Conference final against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
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In Medicine Hat, the Lethbridge Hurricanes again scratched F Matt Alfaro, while F Zak Zborosky, who played in Game 4, was out of this one. Alfaro and Zborosky, both 20, were acquired from the Kootenay Ice in January in the hopes they would add some offence. In the exchange, the Hurricanes gave up F Brett Davis, 17, F Colton Kroeker, 19, and second- and fourth-round selections in the 2018 WHL bantam draft. . . . The Hurricanes also scratched D Kyle Yewchuk, while adding F Connor Lyons and F Ryan Bowen. . . . The Tigers didn’t make any changes, meaning D Brad Forrest played a second straight game.
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Apologies to followers of the Winnipeg Jets. I mentioned here yesterday that the Vancouver Canucks were the lone Canadian NHL team not to have suffered a loss this week. Of course, the Jets didn’t lose a game, either. . . . The only explanation I have for that error is that I worked at The Trib for five years (1973-78) and part of my brain thinks the Jets are still in the WHA.
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If you missed it, the Chicago White Sox had quite a starting outfield when they met the host Minnesota Twins last night. Avisail García was in right field, Leury García was in centre, and Willy García was in left. . . . Melky Cabrera, who usually is in left, is on paternity leave, so Willy was brought up from the minors and given the start. . . . The Garcias went 4-for-10 with a run in Chicago's 2-1 victory.
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Do you think maybe Montreal D Shea Weber should have been given a cross-checking penalty moments before the Canadiens got a game-tying, OT-forcing goal from F Tomas Plekanec against the visiting New York Rangers last night. Oh, I forgot. Cross-checking now is legal.
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A reading recommendation: If you haven’t already read it, Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run is a tremendous book. The Boss really does bare his soul, including his battles with anxiety and depression. This one definitely is a keeper.
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Another reading recommendation: Billy Martin: Baseball’s Flawed Genius, written by Bill Pennington, is an amazing look at a baseball manager who was a genius between the white lines, but rather troubled in a lot of other areas of his life. If you’re a baseball fan, this is a crackling good read.
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 D Brad Cole (Seattle, Kootenay, Saskatoon, 2003-07) has signed a one-year contract with Ritten/Renon (Italy, Alps HL). Cole played one league game for Ritten this season, recording one assist. He also had two goals and two assists in six games in the Continental Cup competition.
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Jay Varady (left) and Mark LeRose of the Sioux City
Musketeers have been honoured by the USHL.
(Photo: ushl.com)
The USHL has honoured a pair of former WHL coaches as it named Mark LeRose and Jay Varady as its general manager and head coach of the year, respectively. LeRose and Varady are in charge of the Sioux City Musketeers. . . . Voting was done by USHL general managers. . . . The Musketeers had the USHL’s best record (40-13-5-2) this season to win the Anderson Cup for the first time since 1985-86. The Musketeers surrendered only 125 goals in the regular season, the fewest in the USHL. . . . In the Western Conference, the Musketeers wound up three points ahead of the Waterloo Blackhawks. Sioux City also was six points ahead of the Chicago Steel, which led the Eastern Conference. . . . LeRose spent three seasons (2007-09, 2013-14) as an assistant coach with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. Varady was with Everett for seven seasons, four (2003-07) as an assistant coach and the next three as associate coach. . . . The USHL news release is right here. . . . The Musketeers opened the playoffs last night, beating the visiting Des Moines Buccaneers, 4-1. Check out the tweet below for a tremendous assist from that game.


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FRIDAY’S GAMES:


At Kent, Wash., F Keegan Kolesar scored twice and added an assist to help the Seattle Thunderbirds to
KEEGAN KOLESAR
a 4-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Thunderbirds won the second-round series, 4-0, and have yet to lose in these playoffs. They swept the Tri-City Americans from a first-round series, 4-0. . . . Seattle has moved into the Western Conference final and for a second straight season will meet the Kelowna Rockets. That series will open in Kent on Friday. . . . A year ago, the Thunderbirds beat the Rockets 4-0. . . . Last night, F Donovan Neuls (5) got Seattle started at 14:03 of the first period. . . . Kolesar made it 2-0 at 16:47. . . . F Mathew Barzal (4) upped it to 3-0, on a PP, at 6:24 of the second period. . . . Everett got to within two when F Dominic Zwerger (4) scored while shorthanded, at 10:05. . . . Kolesar restored the three-goal lead with his sixth goal at 12:51. . . . G Rylan Toth continues to be among Seattle’s scratches. He last played on March 11, when he left a game after the first period. At the time, I was told that he was ill, but the next day I was informed that Toth had been removed due to an injury but that it was only a precaution. . . . The Thunderbirds got 24 saves from G Carl Stankowski, who continued his amazing story since moving in for Toth. In eight starts, Stankowski is 8-0, 2.24, .913. . . . Stankowski, a Calgarian who turned 17 on March 9, got into seven regular-season games, going 3-0-1, 2.18, .910. . . . Everett G Carter hart stopped 27 shots. . . . Seattle was 1-2 on the PP; Everett was 0-2. . . . The Thunderbirds have won 20 of their last 21 playoff games within the Western Conference. . . . Announced attendance: 5,438.
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At Regina, the Pats scored three times in a span of 4:41 and went on to a 3-2 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Broncos still hold a 3-2 lead in the series with Game 6 tonight in Swift Current. .
SAM STEEL
. . The Pats likely will be without speedy F Austin Wagner, who was hit with a kneeing major and game misconduct at 8:52 of the third period last night. Wagner’s hit was on Broncos F Ryley Lindgren, who wasn’t injured. . . . "From watching it on the big screen, I thought there was shoulder contact," John Paddock, the Pats’ general manager and head coach, told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post. “Maybe there was slight knee (contact) after but Lindgren is popping his head up and down like (he had) obviously drawn the penalty so it worked. He fooled them. He completely fooled them. He wasn’t hurt. You could see him out there playing net-front for the last three minutes (of the power play).” . . . Harder’s story is right here. . . . D Colby Sissons (4) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 17:16 of the first period. . . . Regina F Sam Steel (5) tied the score, on a PP, with 13.5 seconds left in the period. . . . D Connor Hobbs (3) put the Pats ahead at 3:49 of the second period and F Nick Henry (3) made it 3-1 at 4:27. . . . The Broncos got to within a goal when F Glenn Gawdin (5) scored, on a PP, at 13:18 of the third period. That goal came on the PP opportunity created when Wagner was hit with the kneeing major. . . . Steel and Henry added an assist each. . . . The Pats got 30 stops from G Tyler Brown. . . . Swift Current G Jordan Papirny made 33 saves. . . . Papirny’s evening included a glove save off Regina F Braydon Buziak on a penalty shot at 8:52 of the third period. Regina was leading 3-1 at the time. . . . Swift Current was 2-6 on the PP; Regina was 1-4. . . . The Broncos lost F Lane Pederson when he left after a hit from Regina F Dawson Leedahl during the first period. Harder reported that Pederson “appeared to be woozy.” Broncos head coach Manny Viveiros told Harder: “Lane’s fine.” . . . Announced attendance: 6,484. . . . Darren Steinke, the Travellin’ Blogger, was at the game. His story is right here.

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At Kelowna, F Reid Gardiner scored four times, three of them on the PP, and added two assists as the Rockets dumped the Portland Winterhawks, 6-2. . . . Kelowna won the second-round series, 4-1, and
REID GARDINER
next will play in the Western Conference final against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Game 1 of that series is scheduled for Friday in Kent, Wash. . . . Last night, the Rockets scored on their first three power-plays — the first took four seconds, the second took nine, the third took 35 — with Gardiner scoring two of those goals. . . . Gardiner scored at 4:54 and 12:41 of the first period. He leads all playoff performers in goals (12) and points (22), all in 11 games. . . . In between F Rod Southam (2) added the other PP goal, at 8:51, with, Gardiner getting the primary assist. . . . The Winterhawks made it interesting with second-period goals from F Joachim Blichfeld (5), at 7:06, and F Matt Revel (3), shorthanded, at 9:04. . . . However, Gardiner scored at 9:27 of the third period and added another PP goal at 16:02. . . . Kelowna F Dillon Dube (6) added an empty-netter, at 17:32. . . . Dube added three assists to his goal, while F Nick Merkley and F Calvin Thurkauf each had two of them. . . . Kelowna G Michael Herringer blocked 27 shots, 11 fewer than Portland’s Cole Kehler. . . . Kelowna was 4-9 on the PP; Portland was 0-4. . . . F Liam Kindree, who turned 17 on Jan. 2, made his playoff debut with the Rockets. From North Vancouver, he was a fourth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. He had one assist in seven regular-season games with Kelowna. . . . Announced attendance: 5,846.
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At Medicine Hat, F Ryan Vandervlis snapped a 3-3 tie with a PP goal at 4:14 of the third period and the
RYAN VANDERVLIS
Lethbridge Hurricanes went on to a 5-4 victory over the Tigers. . . . The Hurricanes lead the series, 3-2, and get their first chance to end it when they play at home on Sunday. . . . Last night, the Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead as F Tyler Wong scored at 3:36 of the first period. . . . The Tigers, as they would do three times, tied it, as F Max Gerlach scored at 6:17. . . . The visitors went back out front at 8:33 when F Ryan Bowen, who had missed the previous two games, scored his second goal of the playoffs. . . . Medicine Hat D Clayton Kirichenko (4) tied it at 12:44. . . . Wong’s ninth goal, on a PP, put Lethbridge back out front at 17:48. . . . Gerlach tied it with his fourth goal at 14:00 of the second period. . . . Vandervlis broke the tie with his fifth goal and D Brennan Riddle upped it to 5-3 at 10:27. That was Riddle’s first goal in 39 games. . . . The Tigers got to within a goal when D David Quenneville (4) scored, on a PP, at 14:34. . . . F Dylan Cozens drew two assists for the Hurricanes. . . . The Tigers got two assists from D Kristians Rubins. . . . G Stuart Skinner turned aside 37 shots for Lethbridge. . . . The Tigers got 22 stops from G Michael Bullion. . . . Lethbridge was 2-6 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 1-4. . . . Announced attendance: 5,046.
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SATURDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Regina at Swift Current, 7 p.m. (Swift Current leads, 3-2)
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SUNDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 6 p.m. (Lethbridge leads, 3-2)

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 11:09 PM
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Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Hurricanes blow past Rebels; Vandervlis sparks Game 7 victory . . . Ingram gets NHL deal


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 A couple of years ago, Dean (Scooter) Vrooman, who would be one of the first inductees into a WHL Hall of Fame if their was such an animal, did the research into the WHL and seven- and nine-game playoff series.
I have updated it to include the first round of this season’s playoffs.
From 2012 through April 4, the road team is 3-10 in Game 7s. (The three victories? The Edmonton Oil Kings beat the Portland Winterhawks, 4-2, in Game 7 of the 2014 championship final; the Kelowna Rockets scored a 3-2 OT victory over the Victoria Royals in Game 7 of the B.C. Division final in 2016; and on Monday night the Swift Current Broncos went into Moose Jaw and beat the Warriors, 3-2.)
From 2004 through 2011, the road team was 10-10 in Game 7s.
From 1986 through 2003, the road team was 3-29 in Game 7s (or Game 9s).
From the beginning of the WHL in 1966-67 through 1984, the road team was 5-10 in Game 7s or Game 9s.
Overall, in 80 deciding games in series that went the distance (7 or 9 games) in league history, the home team is 59-21.
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Meanwhile, Hartley Miller, who worked on the Prince George Cougars’ radio crew this season, provided some information now that the first round of the WHL playoffs is over.
He points out that the first round featured 44 games with the home-road split right down the middle — 22-22. There were two Game 7s, with the home team going 1-1.
In six of the eight series, the home team went .500.
The exceptions? In the series between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Red Deer Rebels, the home team was 5-2; in the matchup between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos, the home team was 2-5.
Bring on the second round!
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NHLG Connor Ingram of the Kamloops Blazers has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, which selected him in the third round of the NHL’s 2016 draft. Ingram is on his way to join the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning’s AHL affiliate. . . . Ingram was 2-4, 2.18, .946 in a just-completed first-round series against the Kelowna Rockets. Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman was in Kamloops for Game 4. That night, Ingram stopped 48 shots in a 1-0 loss to the Rockets. . . . In three seasons with the Blazers, Ingram is 81-50-18, 2.68, .918. . . . He turned 20 on March 31, so next season will be eligible to play in anywhere in Tampa Bay’s organization or in the WHL as a 20-year-old.
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The Portland Winterhawks have signed D Ryan Miley, who is from Brookings, S.D. He played this season with the Sioux Falls Stampede U16 AAA team, putting up 39 points, including 14 goals, in 50 games. Miley, who will turn 17 on July 12, is an undrafted list player, who was in Portland’s training camp prior to this season.
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F Tyler Robertson, who played three-plus seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings, has committed to attend NAIT and play for the Ooks next season. Robertson, from Sherwood Park, Alta., was part of the 2014 Memorial Cup-championship Oil Kings team. . . . Robertson, who will turn 21 on Oct. 1, had 87 points, including 40 goals, in 235 regular-season games with the Oil Kings.
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With the Regina Pats and Swift Current Broncos preparing to begin a second-round WHL playoff series on Thursday, Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post takes a look at the franchise that really is a miracle on the Saskatchewan prairie. That piece is right here. 
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Mike Fraser, the wandering and writing scout, is back with another solid piece. This week, he takes a look at a terrific underdog story from the Alberta Midget Hockey League, and also bemoans the fact that there won’t be a Pacific regional midget AAA series this month. That piece, from the Westman Journal, is right here.
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USHLThe Sioux City Musketeers wrapped up the Anderson Cup as the USHL’s regular-season champions on Sunday with a 4-1 victory over the visiting Tri-City Storm. With three games remaining, the Musketeers, who also won the Western Conference title, were at 40-10-7 and had won seven in a row. Jay Varady, the Musketeers’ head coach, spent seven seasons (2003-10) in the WHL on the coaching staff of the Everett Silvertips. He is in his fourth season with the Musketeers. Mark LeRose, in his third season as Sioux City’s general manager, was an assistant in Everett for three seasons (2007-09, 2013-14). . . . The USHL playoffs begin next week.
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In the OHL on Tuesday night, the host London Knights beat the Windsor Spitfires, 3-2, in Game 7 of that first-round series. The Knights are the defending Memorial Cup champions, while the Spitfires are in this year’s tournament as the host team. . . . In another OHL Game 7, the host Kingston Frontenacs scored a 3-2 OT victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs. . . . In the OHL’s second round, the Knights face the Erie Otters, the Frontenacs go against the Peterborough Petes, the Owen Sound Attack plays the Soo Greyhounds, and the Oshawa Generals meet the Mississauga Steelheads.
There was one Game 7 in the QMJHL’s first round, with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles scoring a 5-4 OT victory over the Gatineau Olympiques on Tuesday night. . . . In the second round, the Screaming Eagles will face the Charlottetown Islanders, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan go against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, the Val-d’Or Foreurs play the Saint John Sea Dogs, and the Chicoutimi Sagueneens face the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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TUESDAY’S GAME:

At Lethbridge, the Hurricanes scored four PP goals en route to a 6-2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels in Game 7 of their first-round series. . . . Lethbridge won the series by winning each of the last three games. . . . The Hurricanes, who finished second in the Central Division, advance to meet the first-place Medicine
RYAN VANDERVLIS
Hat Tigers in a second-round series. They will open with games in Medicine Hat on Friday and Saturday nights. . . . The Hurricanes and Tigers haven’t met in the playoffs since 1991. Back then, the 14-team WHL featured two divisions and the Hurricanes beat the Tigers in seven games in the division final. The Spokane Chiefs then swept the Hurricanes from the championship final. . . . Last night, the Hurricanes, who hadn’t won a series since 2009, opened a 2-0 lead on first-period PP goals just 1:03 apart. . . . D Brennan Menell scored at 7:21, the first of two goals the home team would score with a 5-on-3 advantage. . . . F Giorgio Estephan (2) made it 2-0 at 8:24. . . . F Lane Zablocki (6) scored for Red Deer at 19:08, but Lethbridge got that one back just 22 seconds later when F Ryan Vandervlis counted. . . . Vandervlis enjoyed a four-point outing. . . . The Hurricanes got some insurance from F Jordy Bellerive (2), who scored while shorthanded at 9:29 of the second period. . . . F Brandon Hagel (7) got the Rebels to within two goals at 2:31 of third period, but the Hurricanes put it away with two more PP goals. . . . Vandervlis scored his fourth goal of the series at 8:18 and Menell got his third goal at 10:33. . . . The Hurricanes got two assists from each of F Tyler Wong, F Zak Zborosky, Vandervlis and Estephan, with Bellerive and Menell each getting one. . . . Vandervlis, an 18-year-old from Red Deer, finished the series with four goals and three assists. In the regular season, he had 25 points, including eight goals, in 60 games. . . . G Stuart Skinner recorded the victory with 31 saves. . . . Red Deer starter Riley Lamb gave up four goals on 19 shots in 29:29. Lasse Petersen came on to finish up, allowing two goals on 12 shots in 30:31. . . . Lethbridge was 4-6 on the PP; Red Deer was 0-3. . . . The Rebels were without F Evan Polei, who had nine points, including three goals, in the first six games. He was serving a WHL suspension after taking a headshot major and game misconduct in Game 6. . . . Lethbridge F Tanner Nagel, the subject of that hit, didn’t finish Game 6. But he was cleared to play and was in the lineup for Game 7. . . . Announced attendance: 5,244.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.
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THURSDAY GAMES (all times local):

Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m. (Game 1)

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:11 PM
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Sunday, December 4, 2016

Ingram shuts out Wheaties . . . McKenzie sparks Winterhawks . . . Brooks' streak at 19

Every season, a number of WHL teams have players visit what is known as the DTES — the Downtown East Side — of B.C.’s Lower Mainland to see another side of life. This is a piece of our world that you really can’t imagine unless you have actually seen it. Really, there are no words. . . . The latest team to have players experience the area was the Brandon Wheat Kings. “I think it kind of changed my life,” Wheat Kings D James Shearer told Perry Bergson of the Brandon Sun. Bergson’s complete story, which really is worth a read, is right here.
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USHLThe USHL’s December Power Rankings — they are compiled by usahockeymagazine.com — are out and they’re interesting because the Sioux City Musketeers are No. 1, up from No. 3. That’s what an 11-game winning streak and a rise to the top of the league’s standings will do for you. The Musketeers are 13-1-1 at home. . . . Jay Varady is the Musketeers’ head coach. Varady, 39, spent eight seasons (2003-11) with the Everett Silvertips as assistant coach and later associate coach. . . . Mark LeRose is the Musketeers’ general manager and head scout. He spent three seasons (2007-09, 2013-14) as an assistant coach in Everett. . . . There’s more on the USHL rankings right here.
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If you’ve got a comment, some information you would like to pass along, or if you just want to say hello, feel free to contact me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:

At Kamloops, G Connor Ingram stopped 29 shots to lead the Blazers to a 4-0 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . This was Ingram’s last home appearance before he leaves next weekend for the
CONNOR INGRAM
Canadian national junior team’s selection camp. . . . Ingram has two shutouts this season and nine in his career. . . . The Blazers don’t play at home again until Dec. 28. They leave later this week to play six games in eight days in the Central Division. . . . The Wheat Kings were playing their third game in less than 48 hours. They lost 2-1 in OT to the Vancouver Giants on Friday night, then dropped a 3-1 decision to the Rockets in Kelowna on Saturday. . . . F Matt Revel (10) opened the scoring at 10:36 of the first period. . . . F Rudolfs Balcers, the Latvian freshman, scored his 18th goal 50 seconds into the second period. . . . Kamloops closed it out with two third-period goals, from F Deven Sideroff (16) at 8:24 and F Scott Mahovlich, on a PP, at 19:24. . . . That was Mahovlich’s first WHL goal. . . . Balcers and Sideroff each added one assist. . . . F Garrett Pilon, who centres those two, left for the dressing room with 58.2 seconds remaining in the third period. He was unable to put much weight on his right leg after taking a low hit from Brandon F Ty Lewis, who was penalized for tripping. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny stopped 34 shots. . . . Kamloops was 1-5 on the PP; Brandon was 0-2. . . . Brandon F Reid Duke was back after not playing on Saturday. . . . F Nolan Patrick and F Tanner Kaspick were among Brandon’s scratches. Kaspick suffered an undisclosed injury in Kelowna on Saturday. . . . Brandon F Baron Thompson took a headshot major and game misconduct in that game and was hit with a TBD suspension. . . . The Blazers (17-12-1) have won three in a row and are 12-4-1 at home. They open their road trip against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday. . . . The Wheat Kings (13-11-4) are 1-2-1 in the B.C. Division. They finish up in Prince George on Wednesday. . . . Announced attendance: 3,250.
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At Portland, F Skyler McKenzie scored once and added two assists, helping the Winterhawks to a 5-3 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . The Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals, taking a 3-
SKYLER McKENZIE
0 lead before it was 14 minutes old. . . . McKenzie got his 17th goal at 5:41. F Keegan Iverson followed with his 12th — McKenzie got an assist — at 11:11. F Evan Weinger added his 11th, on a PP, at 13:24. . . . D David Quenneville, who already has 14 goals, got the Tigers on the board at 13:32. . . . Medicine Hat F Mason Shaw’s sixth goal, at 18:32 of the first, got his guys to within a goal. . . . Portland F Ryan Hughes (12) upped the lead to 4-2 at 10:11 of the second period, with Medicine Hat’s John Dahlstrom (15) cutting into that lead, on a PP, at 15:43. . . . F Cody Glass (15) of the Winterhawks iced it at 12:05 of the third period. . . . McKenzie, a third-year player from Sherwood Park, Alta., has 17 goals and 19 assists in 30 games. He went into this season with 12 goals and 29 assists in 138 regular-season games. . . . The Winterhawks got 43 stops from G Cole Kehler, while Nick Schneider turned aside 40 at the other end. . . . Each team was 1-3 on the PP. . . . The Winterhawks improved to 16-13-1. . . . The Tigers (21-8-1) have lost three in a row, all in the U.S. Division. They remain second in the overall standings, one point behind the Everett Silvertips. . . . Shaun Clouston, the Tigers’ GM/head coach, played three seasons (1986-89) for the Winterhawks. He was the captain for the last two of those seasons. A centre, he had 79- and 92-point seasons. . . . Announced attendance: 3,112.
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At Swift Current, F Dawson Leedahl snapped a 3-3 tie 10 seconds after it was created and the Regina Pats went on to beat the Broncos, 6-3. . . . This was the first of eight meetings between these teams this
DAWSON LEEDAHL
season. . . . D Colby Sissons (3) have the home side a 1-0 lead 54 seconds into the second period. . . . The Pats scored the next three goals, seemingly taking control in the process. . . . D Sergey Zborovskiy, who had seven points on Saturday night, scored his sixth goal at 12:43. . . . F Adam Brooks gave Regina a 2-1 lead with his 12th goal, at 1:16 of the third and F Austin Wagner (14) made it 3-1 just 29 seconds later. . . . Swift Current tied it on goals 23 seconds apart by F Kaden Elder (6), at 6:51, and D Max Lajoie (5), at 7:14. . . . However, Leedahl, who has 10 goals, struck at 7:24 and 10:07 as the Pats took a 5-3 lead. . . . F Luc Smith added more insurance with his fifth goal, on a PP, at 15:47. . . . Zborovskiy also had an assist, meaning he had a nine-point weekend. . . . Wagner added an assist to his goal, while D Connor Hobbs had two assists for Regina. . . . Brooks finished with a goal and two assists, as he ran his point streak to 19 games. He has at least a point in each game he has played this season. He also leads the WHL with 45 points. . . . G Tyler Brown turned aside 24 shots for Regina, while Swift Current’s Travis Child stopped 31. . . . Regina was 1-4 on the PP; Swift Current was 0-2. . . . The Pats (19-2-4) are 3-0-1 in their last four games. They have closed to within two points of the idle Everett Silvertips (20-3-4), who lead the overall standings. . . . The Broncos (15-9-6) had won their previous two games. They now are six points behind the East Division-leading Pats, who have five games in hand. . . . The Broncos had F Riley Stotts back for the first time since Oct. 21. He suffered a skate cut to a foot when a teammate stopped on him in the dressing room at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge. Stotts, 16, was the 10th overall selection in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . F Sam Steel was back in the Pats’ lineup after missing three games with a shoulder injury incurred during their B.C. Division tour. He picked up one assist and now has 42 points in 20 games. . . . However, the Pats were without D Chase Harrison and F Lane Zablocki, both of whom were injured in Saturday’s 12-2 victory over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders. Harrison is in concussion protocol. . . . Announced attendance: 2,021.
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MONDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Lethbridge at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
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TEDDY BEAR, TOQUE AND MITTEN TOSS GAMES:

Nov. 26: D Micheal Zipp, 19:47 1st period, Lethbridge 4 at Calgary 2.
Dec. 2: D Artyom Minulin, 13:24 1st period, Calgary 1 at Swift Current 5.
Dec. 2: F Jordy Bellerive, 14:00 1st period, Red Deer 3 at Lethbridge 5.
Dec. 3: F Adam Musil, 14:27 1st period, Lethbridge 2 at Red Deer 3 (OT).
Dec. 3: D Ondrej Vala, 10:38 1st period, Vancouver 2 at Kamloops 5.
Dec. 3: F Nick Merkley, 6:54 2nd period, Brandon 1 at Kelowna 3.
Friday, Dec. 9: Moose Jaw at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 9: Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 9: Kootenay at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10: Prince Albert at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10: Kamloops at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10: Kelowna at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10: Calgary at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10: Everett at Portland, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10: Seattle at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10: Victoria vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 16: Saskatoon at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 16: Portland vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 17: Brandon at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 17: Portland at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 17: Vancouver at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 21: Vancouver vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:43 PM
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Thursday, September 29, 2016

Blazers d-man gets pro deal . . . Wheaties add blueliner. . . . Ex-Everett coach to run U.S. squad

D Stefan Elliott (Saskatoon, 2006-11) has signed a one-year contract with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL). Last season, with the Arizona Coyotes (NHL), he had two goals and four assists in 19 games. He also was pointless in two games with the Nashville Predators (NHL), and he had eight goals and 11 assists in 35 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). . . .
F Cam Reed (Portland, 2011-12) has been released by Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, DEL2). He had a goal and two assists in four games. . . .
F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) has been released by Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga). He was pointless in three games.
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“A group of former players suing the Canadian Hockey League (is) asking a Calgary judge to order 42 major junior teams to turn over their tax returns and financial statements dating back to 2011 to establish whether those franchises are profitable or lose money,” reports Rick Westhead of TSN. “The players are also asking an Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench judge to order Western Hockey League commissioner Ron Robison and Ontario Hockey League commissioner David Branch to produce all of their leagues’ revenue-sharing agreements.
“Robison and Branch have testified that one third of the teams in the WHL and one third of the teams in the OHL lose money each season. Neither Branch nor a WHL spokesman responded to an email requesting comment.”
Westhead’s story is right here.
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D Ondrej Vala of the Kamloops Blazers has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s
Dallas Stars. Vala, a free-agent, played for the Stars entry at the Traverse City, Mich., prospects tournament. . . . The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Vala, 18, is from Kolin, Czech Republic. Last season, as a WHL freshman, he had 21 points, four of them goals, in 72 games. This season, he is pointless in two games. . . . A lot of NHL scouts showed up in Kamloops early last season to watch Vala and were disappointed in his play as he really struggled. Perhaps it was the culture shock, because he really picked up his play after Christmas when he appeared to be much more comfortable. Still, he wasn’t drafted and ended up in the camp of the Stars, whose owner, Tom Gaglardi, is the majority owner of the Blazers.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings of recent vintage never have been shy about having players from southwestern Manitoba on their roster. They added another one on Thursday when they sent a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2018 bantam draft to the Red Deer Rebels for D Zach Wytinck, 17. He was listed by the Rebels in 2015. . . . The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Wytinck, who has been playing with the midget AAA Southwest Cougars, is from Glenboro, which is about six slapshots south east of Brandon. Last season, he had 27 points, including six goals, in 44 games with the Cougars. . . . Wytinck is expected to skate with the Wheat Kings today (Friday). They are at home to the Rebels on Saturday night and the Swift Current Broncos on Sunday afternoon. . . . Brandon’s roster, which now sits at 24, includes eight players from Brandon and area, and five others from Winnipeg.
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The Saskatoon Blades have dropped D Payton McIsaac, 16, from their roster. The move was made after D Libor Hajek returned from the camp of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. . . . A second-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft, McIsaac had one assist in five exhibition games. He will return to the midget AAA Fort Saskatchewan Rangers. . . . The Blades’ roster now is at 24, including two goaltenders and seven defencemen. . . . Saskatoon visits the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday and the Kootenay Ice on Saturday. The Blades continue to play without injured forwards Cam Hebig and F Ryan Graham.
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The Prince George Cougars trimmed two players off their roster on Thursday. . . . G Tavin Grant, 18, will be joining the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings, while F Reid Perepeluk, 16, is off to the Prince George-based Cariboo Cougars of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. . . . The Spruce Kings, who acquired Grant’s rights from the junior B Kamloops Storm, made room for him by dealing G Liam McCloskey, 18, to the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines. . . . The Cougars’ roster now is at 30 players, including two goaltenders and 11 defencemen. . . . The Cougars, at least for now, will go with Ty Edmonds, 20, and Nick McBride, 19, as their goaltenders. However, Edmonds is one of four 20-year-olds on the roster and that’s one over the maximum, so there will be movement there before Oct. 15.
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The Red Deer Rebels have acquired F Dawson Martin, 18, from the Calgary Hitmen for a sixth-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft. Martin, from Winnipeg, had two goals and nine assists in 60 games as a freshman last season. This season, he has one assist in two games. . . . The 5-foot-11, 160-pound Martin was a second-round pick by the Hitmen in the 2013 draft.
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Among the players returned by NHL teams to the WHL on Thursday . . .
Calgary Hitmen — F Beck Malenstyn, Washington Capitals.
Kamloops Blazers — F Garrett Pilon, Washington Capitals.
Kelowna Rockets — D Lucas Johansen, Washington Capitals.
Moose Jaw Warriors — D Dmitri Zaitsev, Washington Capitals.
Regina Pats — D Connor Hobbs, Washington Capitals; F Sam Steel, Anaheim Ducks.
Tri-City Americans — D Parker Wotherspoon, New York Islanders.
Victoria Royals — F Tyler Soy, Anaheim Ducks.
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By my count, and it’s strictly unofficial, these are the WHL players still in NHL camps as of Thursday evening, not including 20-year-olds:
Brandon Wheat Kings — D Ivan Provorov, Philadelphia Flyers.
Calgary Hitmen — D Jake Bean, Carolina Hurricanes; F Matteo Gennaro, Winnipeg Jets; F Jordy Stallard, Winnipeg Jets.
Everett Silvertips — D Noah Juulsen, Montreal Canadiens.
Kelowna Rockets — F Nick Merkley, Arizona Coyotes.
Lethbridge Hurricanes — F Giorgio Estephan, Buffalo Sabres.
Prince Albert Raiders — D Brendan Guhle, Buffalo Sabres.
Prince George Cougars — F Jesse Gabrielle, Boston Bruins; F Jansen Harkins, Winnipeg Jets.
Red Deer Rebels — F Michael Spacek, Winnipeg Jets.
Regina Pats — F Austin Wagner, Los Angeles Kings.
Seattle Thunderbirds — F Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders; F Keegan Kolesar, Columbus Blue Jackets. (Kolesar will miss about six weeks after undergoing surgery for a supraumbilical hernia this week.)
Swift Current Broncos — F Colby Sissons, New Jersey Devils.
Vancouver Giants — F Tyler Benson, Edmonton Oilers.
Victoria Royals — D Chaz Reddekopp, Los Angeles Kings.
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D Connor Hobbs has been returned to the Regina Pats by the NHL’s Washington Capitals. Apparently, he is OK after taking a hard hit from behind from F Andrew Shaw of the Montreal Canadiens in an exhibition game on Tuesday night. The NHL slapped Shaw with a three-game suspension on Thursday. Yes, he will miss three exhibition games. Because they are exhibition games, he won’t even lose any money. . . . Stop laughing!
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JUST NOTES:

The Calgary Hitmen have their roster down to 26 after releasing F Brayden 
Brown, 19, and F Bryce Platt, 18. . . . Brown, from Calgary, was pointless in two games with the Hitmen. He had eight points, including five goals, with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2014-15. Last season, he played three games with the Oil Kings and 12 with the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks. . . . Platt is form Regina. He had seven points, four of them goals, in 34 games with the Hitmen last season. This season, he had one assist in two games. . . . 
F Reid Gardiner, who is eligible to return the the Prince Albert Raiders for his 20-year-old season, has been in camp with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. On Thursday, he was sent to their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. . . .
F Brett Howden, just back from the camp of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, has been named captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . 
F Matt Campese, who was released last week by the Kamloops Blazers, will play for the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors. Campese, who turns 19 on Dec. 10, had 10 goals and six assists in 95 regular-season WHL games, 79 with Kamloops and 16 with the Victoria Royals. . . .
The Everett Silvertips have released D Gianni Fairbrother from their roster and he will play for the Vancouver-Northwest Giants of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. Fairbrother, who turns 16 on Sept. 30, was the CSSHL Elite 15’s top defenceman last season while with the Burnaby Winter Club. He got into three playoff games with the Silvertips last season. He was a fourth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . 
F Jaeger White, 18, has joined the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits. White, who is from Medicine Hat, had been released by the Brandon Wheat Kings. In 84 regular-season WHL games — he also played with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Everett Silvertips — he had five goals and 15 assists.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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Coaching
Jay Varady, a former coach with the Everett Silvertips, has been named head coach of the U.S. Junior Selects, a team that will compete in the 2016 World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alta., Dec. 11-17. . . . Varady, from Cahokia, Ill., is in his fourth season as the head coach of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. He was the head coach of the U.S. team that won the 2014 World Junior A Challenge. He was with the Everett Silvertips for eight seasons (2003-11), serving as an assistant coach, associate coach and interim head coach during his time there. . . . Chris Hartsburg, the head coach of the USHL’s Lincoln Stars, will be one of Varady’s assistant coaches. He spent four seasons (2009-12) as an assistant coach in Everett.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.
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FRIDAY GAMES (all times local):

Kootenay at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Red Deer at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Kelowna at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Everett at Portland, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Regina, 7 p.m.
Seattle vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.
Kamloops at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 9:37 PM
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