Everett draft picks to Austria . . . Warriors show profit again . . . Benson off to school

F Johannes Salmonsson (Spokane, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with the Cologne Sharks (Germany, DEL). Last season, with Linköping (Sweden, SHL), he had five goals and four assists in 46 games.
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It could be that we are on the verge of some interesting moves in the world of hockey.
On Friday morning, Over The Boards (@OTBPuckWatch) revealed via Twitter that two — and perhaps three — WHL draft picks are headed to Austria.
According to two tweets, F Carson Dimoff and F Ryan Savage are to join the EC Red Bull Salzburg organization, while F Riley Stotts is “rumored to be joining them . . . as well.”
The Everett Silvertips selected Dimoff in the seventh round of the 2014 bantam draft. In the 2015 draft, the Silvertips took Savage in the fourth round. Dimoff and Savage are from Scottsdale, Ariz.
Savage is the son of former NHLer Brian Savage, who is working with Red Bull Salzburg in the area of skill development.
Stotts, from Winnipeg, was selected by the Swift Current Broncos with the 10th pick of the 2015 bantam draft.
We have grown so accustomed to European players coming to North America when the pipeline runs the other way it is a bit of a shock.
Of course, earlier this summer, we heard that F Auston Matthews, an 18-year-old from Scottsdale, had signed to play professionally with the Zurich-based ZSC Lions, a Swiss team.
Since then, it has come to light that Matthews, whose WHL rights are owned by Everett, has been unable to get a work permit that would allow him to play for the Lions. In Switzerland, a soccer or hockey player has to have played professionally for one season in order to receive the OK.
Matthews, who is a prospective No. 1 selection in the NHL’s 2016 draft, and his representatives are believed to be working to resolve that situation.
And let’s not forget that Bill Gallacher, the owner of the Portland Winterhawks, has purchased the Kloten Flyers, who play in the same Swiss league as the Lions.
How long before the Winterhawks have prospects playing over there?
Dimoff had 17 points, 10 of them goals, with the U-16 Phoenix Jr. Coyotes last season, after putting up 21 points, including 12 goals, in 18 games with the bantam AAA Jr. Coyotes in 2013-14.
Savage had 13 points, including six goals, in 23 games with the U-16 Jr. Coyotes last season. In 2013-14, he had 17 points, nine of them goals, in 18 games with the bantam AAA Jr. Coyotes.
Last season, Stotts scored 39 goals and added 29 assists in 29 games with the the bantam AAA Winnipeg Monarchs. In 2013-14, he had 76 points, including 43 goals, in 30 games with the Monarchs’ bantam AAA Division 2 team.
Red Bull Salzburg has U-16, U-17, U-18 and U-20 teams, among others, as part of its organization.
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Despite missing the playoffs for a third straight season, the Moose Jaw Warriors showed a profit of $306,136 in 2014-15. That was the word at an annual general meeting that lasted 30 minutes on Thursday evening. . . . The financial report also showed retained earnings of $917,270. . . . “A community-owned team with the revenues that we bring in, we do a great job of managing our expenses,” said Warriors president Chad Taylor is quoted as saying on radio station CHAB’s website. “At the end of the day, salaries are in a good spot, expenses are in a good spot, but there is more opportunities for us to generate more revenue on the ticket side. We've got to go find them though, they're not going to come to us.” . . . Taylor also talked about the attendance challenges that may be in the team’s future. “From a league side, this is something that the 21 other teams are all talking about,” he said. “Some of the bigger franchises are seeing their season-ticket holders go away. I don't think the Moose Jaw market is that way, but we definitely have to be prepared for it.” . . . The Warriors reported $1,529,119 in ticket revenue, down about $60,000 from 2013-14. They also got $320,600 from their booster club, an increase of $115,290 from the previous season. . . . On the education front, the Warriors paid out $142,000 to 25 recipients. . . . The Warriors have shown a profit for at least five straight seasons now — $144,457, $394,646, $343,890, $61,566 and $306,136.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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Mike Gabinet is the new head coach of the NAIT Ooks. He had been the associate coach under Serge Lajoie, who was named Thursday as the head coach of the U of Alberta Golden Bears. . . . Gabinet, who is from Edmonton, has been the Ooks associate coach for three seasons. He is a grandson of Canadian coaching legend Clare Drake.
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F Cole Benson, who played the past four seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings, has decided to leave the WHL and attend the U of Western Ontario in London where he will play for the Mustangs. . . . All told, Benson, 20, played in 216 regular-season and 43 playoff games with Edmonton. He was a 10th-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft. . . . He finishes with 58 regular-season points, including 27 goals. . . . An Edmonton native, he was part of one Memorial Cup-winning team and two WHL championship sides. . . . Without Benson, the Oil Kings’ roster would appear to contain four 20-year-olds — F Brandon Baddock, F Luke Bertolucci, D Ben Carroll and D Marshall Donald.
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After posting a link here last night to a story on the life and career of Herb Wakabayashi, I heard from Dusty Imoo, via Twitter: “Herb helped me decide to go to Japan. Sad to hear of this. I did not know that he had passed:( #Seibu4ever”
Imoo played in the WHL (1987-91) with the New Westminster Bruins, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Regina Pats. He later went on to play in Japan, spending nine seasons with the Seibu Lions and three with the Oji Eagles. His journey to Japan paid off in one appearance in the Olympic Winter Games. He also played in four IIHF World championships.
After ending his playing career following 2005-06, Imoo got into coaching. He now is the Los Angeles Kings’ goaltending development coach.
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Sale of Erie Otters is final. Court docs show former CHUM radio president James Watters paid $7.2M for the OHL team.

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) July 17, 2015

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Raiders to honour Modano

THE MacBETH REPORT:


F Johannes Salmonsson (Spokane, 2005-06) signed a two-year contract extension with Linköping (Sweden, SHL). He had 10 goals and 11 assists in 53 games last season.
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The Canadian Medical Association, at a meeting in Calgary, has condemned NHL owners for their acceptance of violence in the game.
According to The Canadian Press: “Two-thirds of delegates . . . voted ‘to condemn the complacency of the NHL in regards to violence in hockey.’ ”
The complete story is right here.
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Meanwhile, a study published online in the journal Neurology on Wednesday, deals with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and the impact it may have on different people.
Sheryl Ubelacker of The Canadian Press has that story right here, and this is important stuff.
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In their 43-year history, the Prince Albert Raiders have never retired a number. That will change on Nov. 1 when the Raiders retire F Mike Modano’s No. 9. This will happen prior to a game against the visiting Regina Pats. . . . Modano had 295 points in 176 games over three seasons with the Raiders. . . . According to a Raiders’ news release: “A sub-committee of the Raiders Board of Directors extensively researched and deliberated the honour of retiring jerseys by junior hockey franchises, and created a very strict criteria from their findings for the Prince Albert Raiders Hockey Club. Following an evaluation of the criteria, the Board of Directors approved the retirement of Mike Modano’s number 9.” . . . Mayor Greg Dionne has declared Nov. 1 and 2 to be Mike Modano Weekend in Prince Albert. The weekend also will feature the Kinsmen Sportsman Dinner, with Modano as special guest. Former Raiders play-by-play voice Kevin Winters will be the emcee.
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F Robin Soudek, who played in the WHL with the Edmonton Oil Kings, Chilliwack Bruins and Victoria Royals (2008-12), will attend the University of Prince Edward Island and play for the Panthers. Soudek, from Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, played pro in his home country last season but was limited to 11 games by injuries.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Edmonton Oil Kings have signed head coach Derek Laxdal to a two-year extension that runs through 2015-16. . . . Laxdal, 47, has been with the Oil Kings through three seasons and has gotten them into the last two WHL championship finals. The Oil Kings won it all in 2011-12 and were runners-up last season. . . . In his three seasons in Edmonton, the Oil Kings are 132-64-20. . . . Laxdal, who played in the WHL with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Portland Winterhawks, joined the Oil Kings from the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, where he was director of hockey operations and head coach. The Steelheads won the Kelly Cup in 2007.
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The BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors have added Ryan Parent to their staff as an assistant coach and director of scouting. Parent, who lives in Vernon, most recently was general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats. . . . Rylan Ferster, the Warriors’ GM/head coach, also announced that Cory Cross, who played more than 600 NHL games, will work with the team’s defencemen. . . . Brent Gough is back as assistant GM and associate coach. . . . Shae Naka, who had been on staff as an assistant coach, now is at Pursuit of Excellence.
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The AJHL’s Grande Prairie Storm has moved Blaine Bablitz from general manager and head coach to strictly GM. He will serve as a full-time general manager and now will have more time to focus on those duties. . . . Matt Hughes, who is preparing for his second season with the Storm, is the new head coach. . . . Jim Lawrence and Adam Manah are the assistant coaches. Manah also is the head coach of Grande Prairie’s midget AAA team.
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The junior B Revelstoke Grizzlies of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League have signed another coach. In fact, Darren Naylor has signed on as the general manager and head coach. . . . Naylor, who also has coached the KIJHL’s Columbia Valley Rockies, is the fourth head coach the Grizzlies have had this summer. . . . Naylor is a former WHLer (Victoria, Swift Current, 1987-90).
Alex Cooper of the Revelstoke Times Review has more right here.
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From Vancouver broadcaster Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff): “Word at WHL Giants golf tournament is that Sportstalk is moving to CISL AM650 starting in October.”
Dan Russell, Shaw TV’s WHL play-by-play voice, is the host of the long-running Sportstalk on Vancouver radio station CKNW. His contract isn’t being renewed when it expires on Aug. 31.
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Later, Russell (@DanRussellST) tweeted: “Rumours duly noted — but nothing official to announce regarding future of Sportstalk. #cautiouslyhopeful”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Johannes Salmonsson (Spokane, 2005-06) signed a two-year contract with Linköping (Sweden, Elitserien). He had five goals and 13 assists in 41 games for AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Elitserien) this season.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Salmon Arm SilverBacks will introduce Troy Mick as their general manager and head coach today. Owner Randy Williams also is bringing Mick on board as a business partner. . . . Mick has been working as the director of hockey operations and the under-18 boys coach at the Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy in Kelowna. . . . In Salmon Arm, Mick will take over from Colin O’Hara, who resigned a week ago as GM and head coach. O’Hara was there for two seasons. . . . Mick is a familiar figure in the interior of B.C., having coached the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers and the junior B Revelstoke Grizzlies in recent seasons.
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The Portage Terriers won the MJHL championship on Tuesday night, beating the visiting Winnipeg Saints 2-1 to take the best-of-seven final in five games. . . . The Terriers have won the title four of the last five seasons, including each of the last two seasons. . . . Blake Spiller has been the head coach for all four championships. . . . The Terriers went 12-3 in the playoffs.
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I’m sorry, but are all Portland Winterhawks’ fans paranoid, or is it just a select few?
With Kamloops having scratched G Cole Cheveldave due to what obviously is a concussion, there are those people out there who actually believe the Blazers have done this simply to get Portland F Oliver Gabriel out of the lineup.
Seriously!
Here’s a sample of texts and tweets sent my way over the last couple of days:
“Does it actually make sense in your head that blazers would scratch their most needed player in exchange for a #5 forward?”
“They scratch Cheveldave to make it look good.”
“If you saw infraction you’d shake head at nonsense call.”
“What an absolute joke!”
People! People! People! Take a deep breath and climb down off the roof.
Cheveldave is the Blazers’ No. 1 goaltender. He was selected as a Western Conference second-team all-star. Were it not for the regular season turned in by F Tim Bozon, Cheveldave may well have been the Western Conference’s rookie of the year.
And you’re suggesting that the Blazers would put Cheveldave in the stands with an injury that is the figment of someone’s imagination!
Go back and take a look at the fuzzy video of the hit. Surely, you will at least admit that Cheveldave was the victim of a rather hard check. Surely, you also will admit that the hit sent Cheveldave flying. And, surely, you will admit that there is a least a slim chance, even while viewing it through your Rose City-coloured glasses, that Cheveldave may have been injured on the play.
To suggest that Cheveldave has been told to fake an injury, or that a doctor has been told to invent an injury, in an attempt to get Gabriel out of the Portland lineup is laughable.
Now . . . if we were talking about Ty Rattie or Sven Baertschi . . .
Seriously, ask yourself this. If you’re a Portland fan and one of the Blazers, say Brandon Herrod, had run over Mac Carruth like that, how sharp would you have the guillotine by now?
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
What is going on in the WHL? Five of the eight first-round series ended in the minimum four games; two others went five games.
Here we are into the second round and three of the four series stand at 3-0. Three road teams won last night to go up 3-0.
All of this follows a 2011 playoff season in which there were six sweeps, three five-game series and six six-game sets.

In Brandon, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored the game’s last five goals and beat the Wheat Kings, 5-1. . . . The Oil King, who have won 18 straight games, including seven in the playoffs, lead this series 3-0 and can wrap it up tonight in Brandon. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock scored the game’s first goal, on a PP, at 10:48 of the first. . . . Edmonton scored two second-period goals, the eventual winner coming from F Curtis Lazar, his fourth playoff goal, at 14:21. . . . The visitors had a 19-2 edge in shots in the second period. . .  .The Oil Kings got two assists from F Henrik Samuelsson, who missed a couple of shifts after taking a heavy check from Brandon F Michael Ferland. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 25 shots, 12 fewer than Brandon’s Corbin Boes. . . . Edmonton was 2-5 on the PP; Brandon was 1-3. . . . According to the Wheat Kings, F Mark Stone is questionable for Game 4 with an injury. He didn’t come out of the dressing room for the third period. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports: “Attendance was 3,651, the lowest turnout for a playoff game in Brandon since March 21, 2009 when 3,506 showed up for a first-round game against the Kootenay Ice.” . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Moose Jaw Warriors erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals and beat the Tigers, 4-2. . . . Moose Jaw leads the series 3-0 with Game 4 in Medicine Hat tonight. . . . Medicine Hat F Curtis Valk gave his side a 1-0 lead at 8:15 of the first. . . . Moose Jaw F Brayden Point who turned 16 on March 12, got his fourth playoff goal in eight games at 1:49 of the second and D Kendall McFaull gave his guys the lead at 12:40. . . . Moose Jaw F Cam Braes had one assist to run his point streak to eight games. . . . Tigers G Tyler Bunz stopped 48 shots, 24 more than Moose Jaw’s Luke Siemens. . . . The Tigers had F Emerson Etem back from a one-game suspension, but he was held off the scoresheet. . . . Moose Jaw D Morgan Rielly (knee) remains on the sideline. . . .

In Kamloops, F Brad Ross scored four times — even strength, power play, two shorthanded — to lead the Portland Winterhawks to a 5-2 victory over the Blazers. . . . The Winterhawks, with a 3-0 lead, can finish the series tonight in Kamloops. . . . Ross scored four goals in 16 playoff games last spring. He now has seen in seven games in these playoffs. . . . The Winterhawks broke a 1-1 tie with two shorthanded goals 33 seconds apart early in the second period. . . . Ross now holds the franchise record for shorthanded goals (4) in one playoff season. . . . Portland F Taylor Peters drew three shorthanded assists. . . . @WHLFacts tweeted that Ross “has just become the first WHL player in at least 15 years to get 4 Shorthanded Goals in one playoff season.” . . . More from @WHLFacts: “Taylor Peters has become the first WHL player in at least 15 years with 4 Shorthanded Assists in one playoff season” . . . The Winterhawks also set a franchise record with three shorthanded goals in one playoff game. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 38 shots in running his record this spring to 7-0. . . . Kamloops G Cam Lanigan turned aside 24 shots. . . . The Blazers are without G Cole Cheveldave (concussion). Portland F Oliver Gabriel was suspended for four games for the Game 1 hit on which Cheveldave was injured. Gabriel now has served two games of that suspension. . . . Attendance was 3,712, the third-smallest playoff crowd since the Blazers moved into what now is Interior Savings Centre for the 1992-93 season. The only smaller crowds came on March 25 and 26, 2008, when 2,895 and 2,570 fans showed up for Games 3 and 4 of a first-round sweep at the hands of the Tri-City Americans.

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