Americans introduce captain, new logo ... Hurricanes captain gets AHL deal ... Ex-P.A. captain to coach in AHL

D Richie Regehr (Kelowna, Portland, 1998-2004) has signed a one-year contract with Klagenfurt (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, with Red Bull Munich (Germany, DEL), he had three goals and 13 assists in 44 games. . . .

D Austin Madaisky (Calgary, Kamloops, 2008-12) has signed a one-year extension with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). This season, he had three assists in 19 games.

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The Tri-City Americans unveiled their 30th anniversary logo on Thursday evening, while also announcing that F Michael Rasmussen is the 29th team captain in the team’s history. . . . Rasmussen, who will be a first-round selection in the 2017 NHL draft, had 32 goals and 23 assists in 50 games this season. His season ended prematurely when he suffered a broken scaphoid in his left wrist. In his two seasons with the Americans, Rasmussen has 50 goals and 48 assists in 114 games. . . . The Americans will be celebrating 30 seasons in the Tri-Cities — Kennewick, Pasco and Richland — in 2017-18. It’s worth noting, though, that the Americans actually are one of the WHL’s original franchises. They started out as the Calgary Buffaloes in 1966-67, the WHL’s first season, and were the Calgary Centennials from 1967-77. After that, they were the Billings Bighorns (1977-82), Nanaimo Islanders (1982-83) and New Westminster Bruins (1983-88).

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F Tyler Wong, who played out his eligibility with the Lethbridge Hurricanes this season, has signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. Wong played five seasons with the Hurricanes, putting up 298 points, including 143 goals. From Cochrane, Alta., he was the Hurricanes’ captain for the past two seasons. This season, he totalled 109 points, tying for the WHL lead with 41 goals, in 69 games.

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Jeremy Colliton is the new head coach of the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. The 32-year-old Colliton, who is from Blackie, Alta., played four seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders (2001-05), the last two as team captain. He spent the past four seasons as the head coach of Mora IK in Sweden (HockeyAllsvenskan). In Rockford, Colliton replaces Ted Dent, who was fired following the end of this season.

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Paul McFarland of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs has been named the head coach of the U-18 team that will represent Canada at this summer’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament. McFarland also was the team’s head coach a year ago. His assistant coaches will be Brent Kisio of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Daniel Jacob of the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. . . . The tournament will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia, and Breclav, Czech Republic, in August. . . . The 2018 tournament is scheduled to be held in Edmonton. . . . Meanwhile, Dave Struch, the Regina Pats’ assistant GM/assistant coach, has been named head coach of Team Canada Black that will play at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, B.C., Nov. 5-11. . . . Struch’s assistant coaches will be Spencer Carbery (OHL’s Saginaw Spirit) and Louis Robitaille (QMJHL’s Victoriaville Tigres). . . . Luke Pierce, the head coach of the Kootenay Ice, will work as an assistant on Team Canada Red. Gilles Bouchard (QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) is the head coach, with B.J. Adams (OHL’s Erie Otters) the other assistant. . . . Ryan Oulahen of the OHL’s Flint Firebirds will be the head coach of Team Canada White. His assistants will be Brett Gibson (Queen’s University) and Eric Landry (QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques).

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Sotheby's just sold this Basquiat 1982 masterpiece for $110 million, smashing a new auction record for the US artist to cheers and applause pic.twitter.com/dhv3TTRnPO

— Jennie Matthew (@jenniematthew) May 19, 2017

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Getting caught up on transactions from the past few days. . . .
G Jeff Glass (Kootenay, 2002-05) was acquired by CSKA Moscow for monetary compensation from Spartak Moscow (both Russia, KHL). In 37 games, he had a 2.32 GAA and .919 save percentage. . . .
G Rastislav Stana (Moose Jaw, Calgary, 1998-2000) was released by CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL) by mutual agreement. In 24 games, he was 2.41, .908. . . .
Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) announced the signing of F Eric Hunter (Prince George, 2002-07) for the rest of this season; the deal includes a club option for next season. Hunter was with Herlev (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) this season. In 15 games, he had 13 points, including seven goals, before exercising an out clause last week. . . .
F Denis Tolpeko (Seattle, Regina, 2003-06) has been traded by Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk to Salavat Yulaev Ufa (both Russia, KHL) for “monetary compensation." In 38 games with Neftekhimik this season, he had 10 points, five of them goals. . . .
F Sebastian Svendsen (Vancouver, Edmonton, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, 2009-2012) has signed a contract through 2014-2015 with Herlev after being released by Aalborg (both Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He wanted more ice time. In 26 games with Aalborg this season, he had two goals. . . .
F Jeremy Colliton (Prince Albert, 2001-05) has announced his retirement due to post-concussion syndrome via Mora (Sweden, Allsvenskan). With Mora this season, Colliton, the team’s captain, had three assists in three games. He has been suffering from post-concussion syndrome for the past four months. . . .
D Stefan Ulmer (Spokane, 2007-10) signed contract extension through 2016-17 with Lugano (Switzerland, NL A). This season, he has 15 points, six of them goals, in 36 games.
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A daily newspaper closes its doors and coaches begin to disappear.
The Kamloops Daily News published for the last time on Saturday.
Early that morning, the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers announced they were making a coaching change, with Guy Charron coming out of a short-lived retirement to take over from Dave Hunchak.
Of course, the coaching change actually had been made Thursday, when Hunchak left the Blazers while they were in Spokane. Associate coach Mark Ferner ran the bench during a 6-3 loss to the Chiefs on Friday night.
On Tuesday, Thompson Rivers University, which is based in Kamloops, fired Keith Lundgren, the head coach of the WolfPack women’s volleyball team. Chad Grimm, an assistant coach with the WolfPack men’s team, takes over on an interim basis.
The Blazers had a 10-28-5 record when Hunchak was replaced.
The WolfPack, which plays in CIS’s Canada West conference, was 0-14 when the axe fell on Lundgren. He had an 11-63 all-time record.
Now I’m not suggesting that the disappearance of a city’s only daily newspaper might figure in a decision on when to make a coaching change, but . . .
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So . . . you’re wondering how unemployment is going.
Well, for starters, I had to check a calendar in order to figure out Tuesday’s date. When I first got out of bed, I wasn’t even sure it was Tuesday. (BTW, the Wednesday schedule includes a stint with the vacuum cleaner.)
I also can tell you that not having to meet a deadline six days a week is going to be a huge adjustment. In the daily newspaper business, you live by deadlines. In Kamloops, five days a week that deadline was 11 p.m.; on Wednesday’s it was 10 p.m. You didn’t miss a deadline because missed deadlines cost money. In almost 14 years here, I can’t ever recall missing a deadline.
Meanwhile, thanks to all of you for all of the emails, tweets, texts and shoutouts. I never could have imagined so much support and, believe me, it all means a lot at a time like this.
Thanks, too, to Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada for what he wrote right here and to Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald for his kind words right here.
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Tom Gaglardi, the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers, is in a Kamloops courtroom this week. He and his father, Bob, along with Northland Properties Corporation, are facing two charges of harmful alteration of a fish habitat. . . . Tim Petruk of Kamloops This Week reports right here on Day 1 of the trial.
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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province has an interesting piece right here, suggesting that the Vancouver Giants, with attendance declining, need to find a new home.
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Perhaps some WHL teams are going to have to follow the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs, who announced this week that they are going to special season-ticket prices for next season, which will be their 25th.
From a Chiefs news release:
“To recognize and honour our loyal fans the club announced that season-tickets for the celebration 2014-15 season will be slashed, in some cases by more than 50 per cent. Adult prices will tumble from $388 this year to $199 next year. Seniors can secure their seats for just $189 and all child and youth prices will drop to $99 — down from $230.
“The new prices are available only until April 1 at which time they will rise to a level that is still at least 25 per cent lower than 2013-14.”
This follows the Penticton Vees, who in July announced a major restructuring of season-ticket prices, with some available for as little as $149.
There is a story right here detailing the Vees’ plan. What is interesting is that, according to the story, the Vees had sold only nine children’s season-tickets the previous season and “probably 50” over the past five season.
All of this brings back memories of the Medicine Hat Tigers who, if memory serves correct, sold $199 season-tickets after a number of seasons of poor on-ice performance. One thing led to another and the Tigers now sell out The Arena (4,006) for every game.
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Cal Swenson, who played for the MJHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings and the WCJHL’s Flin Flon Bombers (1966-68), died on Jan. 1. He was 65. A memorial service was held in Stony Plain, Alta., on Jan. 8.
An obituary can be found right here.
And right here is a brief story that appeared in the Amarillo, Texas, Globe-News.
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Condolences to former Brandon Wheat Kings forward Steve Patrick Jr. and family on the death of his father, Steve. Steve, who died Saturday at the age of 85, played 11 years with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and is a member of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. He also was a former Manitoba MLA. Arrangements are being handled by wojciksfuneralchapel.com.
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Vancouver head coach Don Hay will be after the 600th victory of his WHL coaching career on Friday when the Giants visit the Kamloops Blazers. Somehow that is only fitting because the first 144 of those victories came as head coach of the Blazers. Hay, who is from Kamloops and was a firefighter there before getting into coaching on a full-time basis, spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Blazers before moving up to the head job. . . . When Hay reaches that milestone, he will be only the third coach in WHL history to get there, and he soon will move into the No. 2 slot, ahead of the retired Lorne Molleken (603). The top spot on the list belongs to Ken Hodge (742). . . . After Hay, the next coach to 600 is likely to be Don Nachbaur of the Spokane Chiefs. After losing 1-0 in OT to the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds last night, Nachbaur is at 584. . . .
 D Mathew Dumba has arrived in Portland and is preparing for his debut with the Winterhawks. Acquired last month from the Red Deer Rebels while he was with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, Dumba has been resting after playing for Canada at the World Junior Championship. While there he ended up with a virus that really zapped his energy level. You can bet that Mike Johnstone, the Winterhawks’ GM and head coach, won’t use Dumba unless he’s healthy. . . . The Winterhawks are at home to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday. . . .
By the way, the Winterhawks have signed D Blake Heinrich, who was selected by the Washington Capitals in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2013 draft. Heinrich, 18, is with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers and won’t show up in the WHL until their season is over. . . . At the time of the signing, he had 14 points, six of them goals, in 31 games. Last season, he put up 20 points, including three goals, in 42 games with Sioux City. . . . Heinrich, from Cambridge, Minn., was taken by the Winterhawks in the 12th round of the 2012 WHL bantam draft while playing for Hill-Murray High School. . . . At one point, Heinrich had committed to the U of Minnesota-Duluth. . . . Why do I get the feeling the Winterhawks won’t miss a beat despite the punishment meted out to them in November 2012? . . .
D Carter Cochrane of Kamloops has signed with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. Cochrane is a late-1996 who was never taken in the WHL’s bantam draft. He has 34 points, 12 of them goals, in 42 games with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs. In fact, he leads the Chiefs in points and is second in goals and assists. . . . Cochrane was in camp with the Silvertips as a listed player in 2012, but didn’t attend prior to this season. He will join the Silvertips once the Chiefs’ season has concluded. . . .
The Kelowna Rockets should have F Marek Tvrdon, 20, in their lineup on Friday when they meet the Royals in Victoria. Tvrdon, acquired from the Vancouver Giants last week, has joined the Rockets from the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye and has been skating with his new teammates.
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TUESDAY NIGHT:
In Lethbridge, F Curtis Valk broke a 1-1 tie at 5:29 of the second period as the Medicine Hat Tigers got past the Hurricanes, 2-1. . . . Valk has 20 goals this season. . . . Tigers F Cole Sanford also scored his 20th goal, pulling his mates into a 1-1 tie at 5:12 of the second, via the PP. . . . D Macoy Erkamps had given the home boys a 1-0 lead at 19:57 of the first, also on the PP. . . . The Tigers held a 42-14 edge in shots. . . .

In Spokane, F Ryan Gropp scored at 4:16 of OT to give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 1-0 victory over the Chiefs. . . . Gropp, who is from Kamloops, has 11 goals and 10 assists in 32 games since leaving the BCHL’s Penticton Vees for the Thunderbirds. . . . Seattle is 3-0-0 in its last three games, each of which has been decided in extra time. . . . G Taran Kozun, acquired last week from Kamloops, made his Seattle debut and earned the shutout with 28 saves. . . . It was his first shutout this season and the third of his career. . . . Spokane G Eric Williams stopped 22 shots. . . . Kozun came over for D Austin Douglas, G Justin Myles and a fourth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . The Chiefs held a 4-1 edge in OT shots. . . . Seattle is 5-0-0 against the Chiefs this season. . . . Seattle (26-14-5) moved in sole possession of fourth place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the idle Everett Silvertips. . . . The Chiefs (26-14-4) moved into fifth, one point ahead of the Silvertips.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
This was filed late Friday night . . .
No player moves today but we have some Glen Hanlon news. This is from the English-version website of the Belarus Ice Hockey Association:
Former Belarus national team head coach, Canadian specialist Glen Hanlon arrived in Minsk on May 29 by invitation of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association to hold negotiations on the prospects of his work as the national team head coach. Earlier, the Canadian had lead the team in 2005, 2006, and 2009. Let’s note that team Belarus achieved its best result at the IIHF WMs with Glen Hanlon as a head coach in 2006 in Latvia (6th place) and in 2009 the team promoted to the quarterfinals (8th place). Glen Hanlon also coached HC Dinamo Minsk in 2009.”
The contract of head coach Andrei Skabelka wasn’t renewed at the end of May. Belarus is the host team for the 2014 IIHF world championship.
Last month, Hanlon resigned from his position as an assistant coach with the Vancouver Giants.
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The moves....
F Mark Derlago (Brandon, 2003-07) signed a one-year contract with Aalborg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had 30 goals and 41 assists in 41 games for Anyang Halla (South Korea, Asian Hockey League) this season. Derlago finished fifth in league scoring. . . .
Mora (Sweden, Allsvenskan) announced the signings of F Jeremy Colliton (Prince Albert, 2001-05) and D Jonathan Harty (Everett, 2004-08) to one-year contracts. . . . Colliton played senior hockey with the Allan Cup-champion Bentley Generals (Alberta, Chinook Hockey League) this season. He had 11 goals and 16 assists in 41 games as captain of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) last season. . . . Harty had two goals and nine assists in 18 games with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus) this season.
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At least two WHLers are going back into the NHL draft. . . . F Shane McColgan of the Saskatoon Blades wasn’t signed by the New York Rangers. They had selected him in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL draft. McColgan, who will be heading into his 20-year-old season, had 66 points in 69 games with the Blades, who last summer acquired the native of Manhattan Beach, Calif., from the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Meanwhile, Spokane Chiefs D Brendan Kichton also will be available in the draft. Kichton, from Spruce Grove, Alta., was a fifth-round pick by the New York Islanders in the 2011 draft. He led all WHL defencemen in scoring in each of the last three seasons, putting up 81, 74 and 85 points, but the Islanders chose not to sign him. Kichton has used up his junior eligibility.
As well, I don’t believe the Ottawa Senators signed Victoria Royals D Jordan Fransoo, who was a seventh-round selection in 2011, while I don’t think the Winnipeg Jets signed D Zach Yuen, who was a fourth-round pick. Both are heading into their 20-year-old seasons.
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F Luke Paulsen, who played three seasons with the Kootenay Ice, will attend the U of Manitoba and play for the Bisons in 2013-14. Paulsen, from Winnipeg, was with the Ice from 2009-12 and at one point in 2011-12 actually retired from the game after suffering a brain injury. This season, he got into 19 games with the MJHL’s Winnipeg Blues.
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The Vancouver Giants simply are rolling the dice with the trade they made to acquire D Dalton Thrower from the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Dickson Liong has that story right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Steve Christie, a native of Winnipeg, is the U of Manitoba Bisons’ new goaltending coach. Christie, 28, played four seasons (2006-11) with the Bisons before going onto a pro career. He got into 14 games this season with the Southern Professional league’s Pensacola Ice Flyers.
The USHL’s Omaha Lancers have signed Brian Kaufman as their general manager and head coach. Kaufman, 29, was an assistant coach with the Lancers last season. Kaufman played four seasons at Miami U (Ohio) and spent 2011-12 there as a graduate assistant coach. . . . Kaufman replaces Mike Aikens after he and the Lancers agreed to go their different ways with two games left in the regular season. Kaufman ran the bench after Aikens left.
The Central league’s Brampton Beast has hired former professional player Brent Hughes as an assistant coach. He will work alongside head coach Mark Desantis. . . . The Beast is preparing for its first season in Brampton. Desantis and Hughes were teammates and roommates while playing with the Central league’s Amarillo Gorillas. Hughes, who played four seasons in the Central league, also played with the OHL’s Brampton Battalion in 2001-02.
The NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild, the new version, has signed general manager/head coach Bliss Littler. The Wild franchise that Littler coached this season has moved to the Hidalgo, Texas, and has been replaced in Wenatchee by the former Fresno Monsters. The Fresno franchise has adopted the Wild nickname and owner David White has signed Littler to a five-year deal. . . . Chris Clark and Tom Rudrud will return as the assistant coaches.

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