Matthews tied up in immigration issue? . . . McCrimmon still pondering offer . . . Ex-Giants coach back in game

F T.J. Galiardi (Calgary, 2007-08) signed a one-year contract with Malmö (Sweden, SHL). This season, he had one goal in 38 games with the Winnipeg Jets. . . .
F Brett Sonne (Calgary, 2004-09) signed a one-year contract with Banská Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, with Mora (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had four goals and three assists in 35 games, and in 12 games with Frisk Asker (Norway, GET-Ligaen), he had five goals and eight assists. . . .
D Jeff May (Prince Albert, Lethbridge, 2002-08) signed a one-year contract with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus). This season, he was an alternate captain with the Ontario Reign (ECHL), and had four goals and 12 assists in 38 games. He played for Angers in 2012-13.
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There hasn’t been confirmation yet, but it appears that F Auston Matthews and the ZSC Zurich Lions of the Swiss National League A have agreed to terms on a contract.
According to a story at watson.ch, as written by Klaus Zaugg, the situation has run up against some immigration issues. (Thanks to the MacBeth Report for providing the information that follows.)
“The thing is tricky, we cannot say anything yet,” Lions manager Peter Zahner said.
ZSC Sports Chief Edgar Salis added: “I cannot say why there is a delay.”
Apparently, they are having problems getting him a visa because Matthews has not played professionally outside of Switzerland.
According to Swiss regulations regarding soccer and hockey, a non-European Union citizen must have played one year as a professional before being eligible for a Swiss work permit.
There is recent precedent with this situation, too. Swiss soccer club FC Basel ran into this issue last summer with a Serbian player it signed to a five-year contract. FC Basel wasn’t able to get a work permit for the player, so he was loaned to a Slovakian team for one year. That made him eligible for a Swiss work permit.
In light of that situation, Swiss soccer clubs have started an initiative to get this regulation overturned, and ZSC lawyers now have joined the movement. A decision is expected in the next two weeks.
Depending on what happens, ZSC could get a provisional work permit for Matthews but if the Federal Office for Migration rejects the application, Matthews would have to leave the country immediately.
After the 2012-13 season, D Ryan O’Connor went directly from the OHL’s Barrie Colts to the Swiss team Davos and he received a work permit without delay. However, O’Connor is Canadian and there is a special agreement between Canada and Switzerland that allows this for Canadian citizens. There is no such agreement between the United States and Switzerland.
The Everett Silvertips hold Matthews’ WHL rights.
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Kelly McCrimmon, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, has yet to speak publicly about the offer he is mulling over from the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Maple Leafs apparently interviewed McCrimmon sometime in the past two weeks and later made an offer to him. Bruce Luebke, the long-time radio voice of the Wheat Kings, has reported that the offer carried with it a June 11 deadline.
On Tuesday’s Insider Trading, Darren Dreger, one of TSN’s Hockey Insiders, offered: “My sense is that Kelly McCrimmon is leaning towards taking the job in the front office of the Toronto Maple Leafs.”
That’s it. No source or sources. No indication that Dreger spoke with McCrimmon. No indication of from where he got his “sense.”
I have no idea which way McCrimmon might be leaning, but I can guess that the last few days have torn him apart.
McCrimmon, 54, is the best hockey/business mind in the WHL. He should have been in the NHL long before this. So, you’re wondering, why hasn’t an NHL team come calling before now? Likely for the same reason that the late Ed Chynoweth never ended up with an NHL team. It would have taken an NHL executive with uncommon job security to have hired Chynoweth, who was his own man.
The same is true of McCrimmon.
In past conversations, he has said that he would have loved to have been given the opportunity to work in the NHL. The position of assistant general manager would have suited him perfectly. He could have started there and then seen what happened.
Complicating the issue now is that he has built a Wheat Kings team that has the chance to dominate over the next couple of seasons. Does he walk away from what he has constructed, leaving it in the hands of someone else?
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THE COACHING GAME:

Bryant Perrier is the new general manager and head coach of the junior B North Okanagan Knights of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. The Knights play out of Armstrong, B.C. . . . Perrier, 50, is a native of Penticton. . . . Former owner Chuck Gallacher was the GM last season, while Jim Armstrong was the head coach. . . . The team now is owned by Dean Keller. . . . Perrier spent the past three seasons coaching in France. . . . He has head-coaching experience in the region, having coached with the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials and Penticton Panthers. . . . Perrier last coached in North America in 2011-12. In his third season with the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives, he left the team after a hazing incident. He later was suspended by the MJHL for the remainder of the season. Perrier has been adamant that he had no idea what had happened; the MJHL said that Perrier, as the GM and head coach, should have known.
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Andy Baggot of the Wisconsin State Journal tweeted Tuesday that the USHL’s Madison Capitols have hired Troy Ward as general manager and head coach. Ward, who began last season as head coach of the Vancouver Giants, will replace Luke Strand, who left to join the U of Wisconsin Badgers as an associate coach. . . . The Capitols are expected to announce Ward’s signing next week during their spring camp.
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In the ECHL, F Greger Hanson scored at 5:25 of OT to give the Allen Americans a 3-2 victory over the host South Carolina Stingrays in Game 5 of the Kelly Cup final. . . . The Americans lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 scheduled for tonight in North Charleston. . . . F Chris Crane gave the Americans a 2-1 lead at 3:01 of the third period. . . . F Wayne Simpson pulled the Stingrays into a tie at 16:05. . . . Attendance was 4,184.
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It is one of the most famous headlines in newspaper history — Headless Body in Topless Bar. It appeared on the front page of the New York Post in 1983. Vincent Musetto, the man who wrote that headline, has died. Jim Norman, who was there the night that headline was written, has more on that story right here.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Simon Ferguson (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 18 goals and 33 assists in 40 games for Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) last season, good for second place in league scoring. . . .
D Jeff May (Prince Albert, Lethbridge, 2002-08) and D Jonathan Harty (Everett, 2004-08) each signed one-year contracts with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus). May had seven goals and 20 assists in 50 games for the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL), while Harty had seven goals and 20 assists in 26 games with the University of New Brunswick (CIS) and was pointless in three games with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) last season. Angers is coached by former Everett associate head coach Jay Varady.
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You will be aware that former WHLers like Darryl Sutter, Jarret Stoll, Dwight King and Colin Fraser helped the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup title.
But how about the other ex-WHLers who were involved?
So here’s a tip of the cap to . . .
Ron Hextall (Brandon, 1981-84), the Kings’ assistant GM. He has been with L.A. for six seasons now.
Bill Ranford (New Westminster, 1983-96), the Kings' goaltending coach.
Kim Dillabaugh, the Kelowna Rockets’ goaltending coach who is the Kings’ goaltender development coach.
Darren Granger, who has completed six seasons as the Kings’ equipment manager. He spent five seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Rob Laird (Regina, 1972-74) is the Kings’ senior pro scout. He has been with the Kings for 18 years, the last 16 as a pro scout.
Brent McEwen, a former GM of the Saskatoon Blades, has been the Kings’ Western Canada amateur scout since 2004.
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Craig West, the radio voice of the Tri-City Americans, was crying in his beer on Tuesday.
Actually, he wasn’t; at least, I don’t think he was.
But he did send along a note from the Pacific Northwest Inlander on the closing of the Viking Tavern in Spokane.
The tavern is located across from the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena and was a favourite stop for folks before and after Chiefs games.
There is more right here.
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A memorial service for Bruce McDonald, the Seattle Thunderbirds’ radio analyst who died on June 6, will be held Friday, noon, at Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Wash. The service is open to the public.
A note from a Thunderbirds’ news release:
“A memorial fund has been set up in Bruce’s name. Fans wishing to contribute should make out checks to “Bruce McDonald Memorial Trust Fund” and send them to the Seattle Thunderbirds Offices at 625 James, Kent WA 98032. Fans can also send their donations to: Bruce McDonald Memorial Trust Fund, CPO Box 634, Fall City, WA 98024.”
McDonald, who suffered from cerebral palsy and was in a wheelchair, had been diagnosed with leukemia in April. He was 41.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The St. Louis Blues have opted not to pick up the option on the contract of Jared Bednar, the head coach of the Peoria Rivermen, the NHL team’s AHL affiliate. Bednar went 81-63-12 in two seasons with the Rivermen.
Graham Thomas is the new head coach of the University of British Columbia’s varsity women's hockey program. Thomas, from Calgary, takes over from Jen Rawson, who resigned after last season, citing personal reasons. Thomas has been with the women’s team at Syracuse U, as associate coach and recruiting co-ordinator, since 2008-09. . . .
Fran Gow, a veteran of the AJHL wars, has signed a three-year contract to remain as GM/head coach of the Drayton Valley Thunder. Gow is a veteran of 19 years in the AJHL. He has been with the Thunder since 2007. . . . Gow immediately announced that Mike Mueller be staying put as associate coach.
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The Vancouver Giants have signed F Jakob Stukel to a WHL contract. Stukel, who is from Surrey, was the 37th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He had 62 points in 20 games with a bantam team in Cloverdale last season. . . . The Giants now have signed three of their 2012 draft picks.
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The BCHL held its annual meeting last weekend in Richmond, B.C. Josh Aldrich of the Nanaimo Daily News reports right here on the goings-on, including a new playoff format and taking rosters from 21 players to 22.
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Craig Forsythe of the Philadelphia Flyers Examiner blog is reporting that D Ricard Blidstrand has signed with VIK Vasteras, a team in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan, the country’s second-highest league. . . . Blidstrand was selected by the Flyers in the seventh round of the 2010 NHL draft but never signed with Philadelphia. Blidstrand played with the Regina Pats in 2010-11. They dealt him to the Prince George Cougars at the January trade deadline last season. . . . Blidstrand turned 20 on April 20, but wasn’t expected back in the WHL as he would have been a two-spotter -- a 20-year-old import.
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For today’s good read, check out this piece by Bob Klapisch, a columnist at northjersey.com. It’s the latest on longtime baseball exec Jim Duquette and his daughter, Lindsey. You may recall that the Duquettes were mentioned here a few days ago, on the eve of surgery during which Jim donated a kidney to his daughter. This is a wonderful, wonderful story.


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