Winterhawks run at 14; Petan takes over scoring lead

Tieja MacLaughlin is free to return to Canada after agreeing to a plea agreement in a Kennewick, Wash., courtroom on Wednesday afternoon. Wayne Moore of castanet.net has that story right here.
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The Everett Silvertips announced Wednesday that they have signed G Carter Hart, an eighth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. The announcement came a few days after Hart announced on his Twitter account that he had signed. . . . The Silvertips are expected to have Hart on the bench this weekend as they have suspended G Daniel Cotton and F Darcy DeRoose indefinitely for violating team rules. Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald tweeted news of the suspensions yesterday afternoon. . . . According to a Silvertips news release, Hart “will serve as the club’s backup goaltender through a set of three games in three days this weekend.” . . . Hart has been playing for the Sherwood Park Squires of the Alberta minor midget league. From Sherwood Park, he is 13-3-3, 1.92, .937 with the Squires. . . . Everett is at home to the Vancouver Giants on Friday and the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday, before meeting the Chiefs in Spokane on Sunday.
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Former WHL D Nathan Dempsey (Regina, 1991-94) has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Dempsey, 40, is in St. John’s, Nfld., this week to take part in AHL All-Star Game festivities. Robin Short of the St. John’s Telegram has more right here.
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The Kamloops Blazers have added F Mitch Friesen, 17, to their lineup for three weekend games. Friesen, who started the season with the Blazers, has been with the junior B Kamloops Storm of the Kootenay International junior league. . . . While D Connor Clouston is ready to return to the Kamloops lineup, the Blazers will be without F Tyson Ness and F Luke Harrison, both of whom have been shut down for the season, along with G Justin Myles (indefinite), F Chase Souto (1-2 weeks) and F Matt Needham (day-to-day). . . . The Blazers, who have lost 10 in a row, are at home to the Portland Winterhawks on Friday and the Prince George Cougars on Saturday, then visit the Vancouver Giants on Sunday.
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Hockey Winnipeg officials announced Wednesday that beginning next fall all parents of minor hockey players will have to take the Respect in Sport course that was designed by Wayne McNeil and former WHL star Sheldon Kennedy. . . . There’s more right here on the Winnipeg story. . . . Meanwhile, the program has been in place in Calgary for three years now, and the results are quite positive. There’s more on that story right here.
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The BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings have signed head coach Dave Dupas to a two-year contract extension that runs through 2015-16. The contract also includes a club option on 2016-17. . . . The Spruce Kings have qualified for the playoffs in each of his three seasons behind the bench. . . . As well, the Spruce Kings signed assistant coaches Colton Buffie and Jason Garneau to two-year extensions running through 2015-16.
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THURSDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
No games scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Regina at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Regina, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Saskatoon at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Portland at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
Tri-City at Seattle, 7:35 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Regina, G Daniel Wapple stopped 27 shots to help the Pats to a 3-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Ice had won six straight games. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski, who had won his last 10 starts, stopped 28 shots. . . . Regina F Dyson Stevenson gave his side a 3-1 lead with his 25th goal at 4:41 of the second. . . . Ice F Luke Philp got his 24th at 7:33 of the second but that was it for the visitors. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart ran his point streak to 15 games with an assist on his club’s first goal. . . . After that goal, Jeff Hollick, the radio voice of the Ice, tweeted: “Reinhart ties team record with 8-game assist streak, done 5 times in Ice history, 3 times by Reinhart, 2nd time this season.” . . . The Pats (29-22-5) are tied for sixth with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Eastern Conference, but they are only one point behind the idle Swift Current Broncos, who lead the East Division. . . . The Ice is fifth in the conference, five points behind the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Taylor Cooper scored 20 seconds into OT to give the Lethbridge Hurricanes a 3-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . It was the first meeting between these teams since the Nov. 16 deal in which Brandon landed D Ryan Pilon and F Colt Conrad in exchange for Cooper, D Nick Walters and D Tanner Browne. . . . Pilon, Walters and Cooper all played last night. . . . Cooper also had an assist and was plus-3. . . . The goal was Cooper’s 11th of the season. . . . Brandon F Quintin Lisoway forced OT with his seventh goal of the season at 15:44 of the third period. . . . F Richard Nejezchleb opened the scoring for Brandon, getting his 29th of the season via the PP, at 18:30 of the first. . . . Lethbridge went ahead on third-period goals from F Riley Sheen, his 15th, at 8:40 and F Brady Ramsay, his 13th, at 11:43. . . . Ramsay also had two assists. . . . Brandon was without F Rihards Bukarts (undisclosed injury) for a third straight game. . . . The Wheat Kings finished 0-2-1 on a three-games swing; they are 3-5-2 in their last 10 overall. . . . The Hurricanes (12-41-5) now have 29 points, leaving the Kamloops Blazers (11-41-5) alone in the WHL basement. . . . The Wheat Kings (28-22-7) are tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference. . . .

In Red Deer, D Tyler Lewington drew three assists to help the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 4-1 victory over the Rebels. . . . Medicine Hat G Marek Langhamer stopped 27 shots. . . . Tigers F Curtis Valk needed 2:39 to run his point streak to 16 games, the longest in the WHL today. He drew an assist on F Dylan Bredo’s first-period PP goal. . . . Valk also scored a goal, his 31st. . . . F Anthony Ast also scored for the winners, giving him three in his last two games and five in seven. He‘s got 12 goals this season, seven in 15 games with the Tigers, who acquired him from the Vancouver Giants. . . . Medicine Hat has won five of its last six games. . . . The Tigers (34-20-3) are a comfortable fourth in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Rebels (27-26-4) have lost seven in a row and are eighth in the conference, three points ahead of the Prince Albert Raiders. . . .

In Edmonton, the Prince Albert Raiders built up a 4-1 lead and hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . Raiders G Cole Cheveldave stopped 39 shots, 21 more than Edmonton‘s Tristan Jarry. . . . Edmonton had won its previous 11 games. . . . F Collin Valcourt, playing in his 250th regular-season WHL game, scored twice for the Raiders, giving him 19. He also had an assist. . . . Raiders F Leon Draisaitl gave his guys a 4-1 lead with his 23rd goal, via the PP, at 3:56 of the third. . . . The Oil Kings made it close with two goals from F Henrik Samuelsson, who has 26 goals. Both goals came via the PP. . . . Prince Albert F Dakota Conroy scored his 21st goal and added two assist. . . . The Raiders were 3-for-5 on the PP; the Oil Kings were 2-for-4. . . . The Oil Kings were without D Griffin Reinhart, who was ill. . . . The Raiders (26-27-3) are three points behind Red Deer, which holds down the conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The Oil Kings (40-14-1) lead the Eastern Conference by three points over the Calgary Hitmen. Edmonton holds two games in hand. . . .

In Victoria, D Jordan Fransoo scored at 2:26 of OT to give the Royals a 3-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Fransoo has four goals this season. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges had forced OT with his 17th goal, on the PP, at 2:42 of the third. . . . That goal came just 1:23 after F Parker Bowles had given the visitors the lead, on the PP, with his fifth goal. . . . Tri-City, which got two assists from F Beau McCue, was 2-for-5 on the PP. . . . Victoria G Coleman Vollrath stopped 37 shots, 12 more than Tri-City’s Eric Comrie. . . . Victoria G Patrik Polivka was backing up Vollrath after missing five games with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Royals ran an Olympic-themed promotion for this one. Because Canada had won 10 medals in Sochi, if you wore red to the game you could get $10 off a ticket. . . . Attendance was announced at 4,501. . . . The Royals (39-16-4) clinched a playoff spot with the victory. They are third in the Western Conference, three points behind the Portland Winterhawks. Victoria has won four in a row and is 9-0-2 in its last 11 games. . . . The Royals, who have won six in a row on the road, leave Thursday on an East Division swing. . . . Tri-City (27-24-6) is eighth in the conference, five points ahead of the Prince George Cougars. . . .

In Prince George, Portland F Nic Petan took over the lead in the WHL scoring race as the Winterhawks skated to a 6-4 victory over the Cougars. . . . Portland, which clinched a playoff spot with the victory, has won 14 straight games. It can tie the franchise’s single-season record with a victory in Kamloops on Friday. . . . Petan had a goal, his 30th, and two assists, giving him 95 points, two more than Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Petan, who now has 251 points in 183 career regular-season games, also leads the WHL in assists, with 65. . . . As well, Petan has at least one assist in 10 straight games. . . . Petan shared last season’s WHL scoring title with teammate Brendan Leipsic, each with 120 points. . . . F Keegan Iverson added two goals for Portland, giving him 18. . . . F Troy Bourke scored twice and added an assist for the Cougars. He’s got 23 goals. . . . The Cougars took a 2-1 lead into the second period, only to have the Winterhawks scored three times to take control. Petan scored shorthanded just 33 seconds into the period. . . . The Winterhawks were without G Brendan Burke, who is ill. In his absence, Corbin Boes stopped 20 shots. . . . The Cougars scratched F Jari Erricson, F Alex Forsberg, D Peter Kosterman, F Brett Roulston, F David Soltes, F Chase Witala and G Brett Zarowny. . . . The Winter hawks (40-12-5), with points in each of their last 16 games, have won at least 40 games in five straight seasons now. They are second in the Western Conference, nine points behind the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Cougars (24-28-7) are five points out of a playoff spot. . . .

In Spokane, F Cole Linaker scored his eighth goal of the season at 19:33 of the third period to give the Kelowna Rockets a 2-1 victory over the Chiefs. . . . The Rockets nursed a 1-0 lead into the third period, thanks to a goal by F Myles Bell, his 38th, via the PP, at 14:47 of the first. . . . Spokane D Reid Gow tied it with his fifth goal at 1:02 of the third. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 29 shots, while Eric Williams of the Chiefs turned aside 32. . . . The Rockets (45-8-4) lead the overall standings by nine points over Portland. . . . The Chiefs (32-20-5) are fifth in the Western Conference, six points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds and six ahead of the Vancouver Giants.

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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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The matchups, if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Spokane, the Chiefs clinched fourth place in the Western Conference with a 6-0 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . The same teams will open the playoffs in Spokane on Friday. . . . G Eric Williams stopped 20 shots to record his fourth shutout this season. . . . F Carter Proft scored twice, giving him 11. He’s got five goals over his last eight games. . . . The Chiefs were 3-for-7 on the PP. . . . Spokane has won four in a row, while Tri-City has lost three straight. . . . The teams meet tonight in Kennewick, Wash., with the Chiefs leading the season series, 6-5. . . .

In Victoria, D Jordan Fransoo scored twice to help the Royals to a 4-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Fransoo, who has eight goals, is wearing the ‘C’ in the absence of injured D Tyler Stahl. . . . D Joe Hicketts also scored twice for Victoria, giving him five goals, while F Steven Hodges had three assists. . . . G Coleman Vollrath, the go-to guy with Patrik Polivka out with an undisclosed injury, stopped 19 shots for the Royals. . . . The Royals set single-season franchise records for victories (34) and points (75), breaking records that had been set by the 2010-11 Chilliwack Bruins. . . . These teams — the Royals, not the Bruins — play tonight in Everett. . . . Victoria F Tim Traber completed his six-game suspension last night, so is eligible to play tonight. . . .

In Vancouver, the Kelowna Rockets tied a franchise record as they beat the Giants, 6-2. . . . The Rockets won their 51st game, tying the single-season record that was held by the 2002-03 club. . . . Kelowna F Austin Glover scored his first goal in his 33rd WHL gave, 30 of which have been played this season. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle, who was acquired from Vancouver early in the season, stopped 39 shots. . . . The Rockets lost F Colton Sissons, F J.T. Barnett and D Damon Severson to injuries during the game, although Severson did return and finish up. “Everything gets re-evaluated by our (medical) staff in the morning, so I have nothing to really report,” head coach Ryan Huska told the Kelowna Daily Courier. . . . The Rockets and Giants play tonight in Kelowna. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks tied a franchise record as they doubled the Seattle Thunderbirds, 8-4. . . . The Winter hawks (55-12-3) have 113 points, tying the franchise record set in 1980-81. . . . Portland meets the Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., tonight and can also set a WHL record for road victories in one season. . . . The Winterhawks are 9-2 versus Seattle this season. . . . F Brendan Leipsic scored three times for Portland, his second hat trick this season. He leads the WHL, with 48 goals. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie had two goals, giving him 47, and an assist, while F Nic Petan had three assists. . . . Portland D Troy Rutkowski, who earlier in the week signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, also had three assists. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand broke a 3-3 tie with his 30th goal of the season at 17:59 of the second period. . . . Portland G Brendan Burke stopped 31 shots. The Winterhawks had G Jarrod Schamerhorn, 17, on the bench. G Mac Carruth, the veteran starter, is out with an undisclosed injury. . . . Portland D Seth Jones was a healthy scratch, just to give him some rest. . . .

In Cranbrook, the Calgary Hitmen scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Kootenay Ice, 5-3. . . . F Brady Brassart had two goals, giving him 33, and two assists for Calgary, while F Cody Sylvester had two goals and an assist. He’s got 41 goals. . . . The Ice led 3-1 with five minutes left in the second period. . . . The loss means the Ice will finish eighth in the Eastern Conference and face the first-place Edmonton Oil Kings in the first round. . . . The Ice plays in Calgary tonight. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Brady Ramsay and F Josh Derko each scored twice and added an assist as the Hurricanes dropped the Medicine Hat Tigers, 8-4. . . . The Tigers actually took a 4-2 lead into the third period when the Hurricanes exploded for six goals. . . . D Matt Staples, a native of Coppell, Texas, who turned 18 on March 7, scored his first WHL goal for the Tigers. It came in his 29th game. . . . F Russell Maxwell scored his 22nd goal and added two assists for Lethbridge. . . . Lethbridge D Macoy Erkamps and D Ryan Pilon each had two assists and was plus-5. . . . Lethbridge G Ty Rimmer stopped 44 shots. . . . The Tigers now are locked into seventh in the Eastern Conference, meaning they will face the Saskatoon Blades in the first round. . . . The Hurricanes are in Medicine Hat tonight. . . .

In Moose Jaw, F Sam Fioretti and F Brayden Point each scored twice to help the Warriors to a 5-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Fioretti has 32 goals, while Point has 23. . . . F Jayson Swyripa scored twice for Brandon, giving him 10. . . . Neither team will be in the playoffs. . . . Warriors D Morgan Rielly will join the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on Wednesday. He was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the fifth overall pick in the 2012 NHL draft. . . . The Warriors play in Brandon tonight. . . .

In Prince Albert, F Leon Draisaitl scored at 2:47 of OT to give the Raiders a 6-5 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Draisaitl has 21 goals. . . . The Raiders had lost their previous six games. . . . The Raiders scored the game’s first three goals, two by F Anthony Bardaro, who has 24 goals. . . . The Blades then struck for five in a row, two from F Nathan Burns, who has 20. . . . F Mark McNeill, with his 24th, got the Raiders to within one at 8:58 of the third and D Davis Vandane, with his 12th, tied it at 15:13. . . . Saskatoon G Andrey Makarov, who stopped 31 shots, appeared in his 31st consecutive game. . . . Raiders F Chance Braid had a goal, his ninth, and three assists. . . . Saskatoon continues to play without F Michael Ferland (undisclosed). . . . They'll play again tonight in Prince Albert. . . .

In Regina, the Swift Current Broncos scored three times in the circus and beat the Pats, 3-2. . . . The Pats scored two PP goals, the second one from F Lane Scheidl, who has 40 goals, and took a 2-0 lead into the second period. . . . Broncos F Adam Lowry got his 45th goal in the second period and D Richard Nedomlel tied it with his seventh at 2:48 of the third. . . . The Broncos outscored the Pats 3-2 in a five-round shootout. . . . The Pats are in Swift Current tonight. . . .

In Red Deer, the Edmonton Oil Kings erased a 1-0 deficit and beat the Rebels, 3-1. . . . The Oil Kings have won 50 games for a second straight season. . . . F Jordan DePape, playing his first game since Nov. 11, scored a PP goal 6:07 into his first appearance with Red Deer. . . . Edmonton D Griffin Reinhart broke a 1-1 tie with his eighth goal at 6:59 of the third period. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar scored h is 37th goal into an empty net. . . . Red Deer plays in Edmonton tonight. . . .

In Kamloops, F Tim Bozon scored two goals and drew two assists to lead the Blazers to a 5-2 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . The loss killed any chance the Cougars had of catching the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. . . . Bozon has 35 goals. . . . F Brendan Ranford had a goal and two assists for the Cougars. . . . Prince George, trailing 5-0, scored two third-period power-play goals. . . . Prince George G Mac Engel got crushed in a goal-mouth scramble in the first period and was taken to hospital with a potential neck injury. He was later released and was on the bus to Prince George with his teammates. . . . The same teams meet tonight in Prince George.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Colten Mayor, Calgary
F Richard Nejezchleb, Brandon
F Braden Christoffer, Regina
F Cory Millette, Red Deer

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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From Prince George Cougars F Ryan Hanes (@HANESR13): “Thank you so much for coming out! Amazing fans! Can’t say enough about them! One special night for me! Thanks kamloops! Love everyone of you!”
Hanes, a Kamloops native, received two ovations from his hometown fans last night, one when he scored in the third period and another when he saluted them at game’s end.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Paul Deniset (Kamloops, Swift Current, Vancouver, Prince Albert, 1989-2002) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). He had 18 goals and 20 assists in 21 games for Amiens (France, Ligue Magnus) last season.
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Monday in the Western Hockey League:
EDMONTON OIL KINGS—Traded F Cam Reid, 20, to Portland Winterhawks for 2012 eight-round bantam draft pick.
LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES–Traded F Cam Braes, 20, to Moose Jaw Warriors for a 2012 first-round bantam draft pick and a 2013 second-round bantam draft pick.
MOOSE JAW WARRIORS–Traded D Tyler Vanscourt, 19, to Vancouver Giants for a 2012 fifth-round bantam draft pick.
TRI-CITY AMERICANS–Traded D Riley Guenther, 17, to Prince Albert Raiders for a 2013 fifth-round bantam draft pick.
VANCOUVER GIANTS–Traded F Levi Bews, 17, to Swift Current for a 2012 sixth-round bantam draft pick.
VICTORIA ROYALS—Traded F Kevin Sundher, 19, to Brandon Wheat Kings for D Jordan Fransoo, 18, F Dakota Conroy, 17, and a 2012 first-round bantam draft pick.
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DRAFT TRACKER (since Dec. 27):
Trades made: 13
Players: 23
Bantam draft picks: 13
Deadline: Tuesday, Jan. 10, 3 p.m. MT
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The Brandon Wheat Kings added F Kevin Sundher, 19, from the Victoria Royals but it cost them a 2012 first-round bantam draft pick, as well as D Jordan Fransoo, 18, and F Dakota Conroy, 17. . . . Sundher, a third-round selection by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2010 NHL draft, has 64 points in 40 games this season, leaving him seventh in the WHL scoring race. . . . From Surrey, B.C., Sundher was the seventh overall pick in the 2007 bantam draft, taken by the Chilliwack Bruins. He goes to Brandon with 240 points in 254 career regular-season games. He is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and is second in games played. . . . “It’s been a crazy day,” Sundher said in a Wheat Kings news release. “The (Royals were) just heading out for the prairies and I was pulled off the bus and told about the trade. I play to win and I'm looking forward to joining a team that has a chance to go far." . . . Fransoo, a seventh-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in the 2011 NHL draft, is in his sophomore season. From North Battleford, Sask., he has 11 points in 41 games this season. A good skater with a big shot, he was a fifth-round bantam pick by Brandon in 2008. . . . Conroy, a third-round bantam draft pick in 2009, Conroy has eight points in 37 games this season. He is from Edmonton and is projected as a top-six forward in time. . . . The Wheat Kings hope to have Sundher in their lineup Wednesday against the visiting Saskatoon Blades. . . . Interestingly, the Royals are scheduled to play in Brandon on Saturday.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors picked up a top-six forward with the acquisition of F Cam Braes, who turns 21 on Thursday, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. But it cost them a first-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft and a second-rounder in 2013. That may seem like a steep price to pay for a player who is in his final season of eligibility. But obviously the Warriors felt they needed at least one more forward — a first-line centre — in order to keep up with the Eastern Conference-leading Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Braes, from Shawnigan Lake, B.C., was the Hurricanes’ captain. He has 203 points, including 99 goals, in 320 regular-season games with Lethbridge. This season, he has 45 points, 24 of them goals, in 44 games. . . . He was a third-round selection in the 2006 bantam draft. . . . Only Shane Peacock (336) played more games in a Hurricanes’ uniform than Braes.
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The Prince Albert Raiders acquired D Riley Guenther, 17, from the Tri-City Americans for a fifth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. Guenther, from Calgary, had one assist and six penalty minutes in 10 games with the Americans. He played last season with the midget AAA Calgary Northstars. . . . The Americans selected him in the third round of the 2009 bantam draft.
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The Vancouver Giants acquired D Tyler Vanscourt, 19, from the Moose Jaw Warriors for a 2012 fifth-round bantam draft pick that originally belonged to the Prince George Cougars. He had a goal and three assists in 14 games with Moose Jaw after being acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders. All told, he has 21 points in 40 games this season. . . . Vanscourt is from Corona, Calif., and was a seventh-round selection of the Kootenay Ice in the 2007 bantam draft.
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The Swift Current Broncos acquired F Levi Bews, 17, from the Vancouver Giants for a 2012 sixth-round bantam draft pick. . . . Earlier this season, Bews went from the Saskatoon Blades to the Giants in a four-player deal. . . . He was a second-round pick, 42nd overall, by the Blades in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . The Giants had assigned him last week to the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. . . . In 38 WHL games this season, he has nine points, three of them goals. . . . Bews is from Longview, Alta.
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The Portland Winterhawks have dealt a 2012 eighth-round bantam draft pick to the Edmonton Oil Kings for the rights to F Cam Reid, 20, who is with the St. Cloud State Huskies. . . . A sophomore, Reid has 15 points, including six goals, in 22 games this season. Last season, in 37 games, he had 29 points, eight of them goals, in 37 games. . . . The Nashville Predators selected Reid, who is from Delta, B.C., in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL draft. . . . Before heading to St. Cloud State, Reid played 167 BCHL games with the Victoria Grizzlies and Westside Warriors, putting up 138 points. . . . Reid’s WHL rights originally belonged to the Vancouver Giants, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2006 bantam draft. The Giants sent him to Edmonton in lieu of the Oil Kings selecting a player off their roster in the expansion draft prior to the 2007-08 season. . . . Reid’s arrival in Portland — and he is leaving school — will leave Portland with four 20-year-olds, meaning one of D William Wrenn, F Oliver Gabriel or F Dillon Wagner will have to go. Or it could be that Gabriel, who suffered a shoulder injury on Dec. 30 and hasn’t play since then, could be headed to the long-term injury list.
Reid told Mick Hatten of the St. Cloud, Minn., Times that he got a call from Portland on Sunday night, telling him he had 24 hours to make a decision to stay or join the Winterhawks.
“They offered to have me play center on the first line with their top two players,” Reid said. “I talked it over with my parents, and it was something I couldn’t pass up or say no to.”
That being the case, Reid will join Ty Rattie, the WHL’s scoring leader, and Sven Bartschi on Portland’s top line.
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JUST NOTES:
Regina Pats D Brandon Underwood, who hasn’t played since Dec. 4 when he broke a bone in a foot while blocking a shot, has been cleared to skate again. He still is a week or two from getting back in the lineup. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks have signed F Alex Schoenborn, 16, who is from Minot, N.D. He is expected to finish the season with the Omaha Jr. Lancers, an under-16 AAA team that plays in the North American Prospects league. He has 27 points in 13 games with the Lancers. . . . The Lancers are coached by David Wilkie (Seattle, Kamloops, Regina, 1999-94). . . .
Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress has spoken with D Jesse Pauls, 19, who retired from the Victoria Royals last week. That story is right here. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks will play host to the Kelowna Rockets twice this week, on Wednesday and Friday. The Winterhawks go into the series having won their last 14 home games, two shy of the franchise record that was set in 1993-94. . . .
Don Nachbaur, the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs, is on the verge of becoming the sixth coach in WHL history to win 500 games. Nachbaur is at 499 going into two straight games with the Everett Silvertips. They’ll play in Spokane on Wednesday and in Everett on Friday. . . . Ken Hodge (742), Ernie McLean (548), Pat Ginnell (518), Lorne Molleken (543) and Don Hay (541) also have more than 500 victories. . . . Nachbaur also has served as head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds (202 victories) and Tri-City Americans (229). He has three times been named winner of the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as coach of the year, once with each team.
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An interesting observation from columnist Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun, following the move by Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins to submarine Canucks defenceman Sami Salo in a game on Saturday:
“It’s a curious thing, but a current listing of NHL villains will turn up several members of Canada’s world junior squads over the past 15 years or so, which may reveal an unflattering pattern to the way Hockey Canada carefully constructs its rosters. Though some confined their borderline sociopathic behaviour primarily to their junior days, these Team Canada alumni/incendiary devices include Matt Cooke (1998), Raffi Torres (2001), Jordin Tootoo (2003), Steve Downie (2006-07), Brad Marchand (2007-08) — how’s that for a start to the all-cheap-shot-team? — and, more recently, Patrice Cormier (2009-10) and Zack Kassian (2011).
“Cooke, mind you, has renounced his evil ways and joined the choirboys, and Cormier and Kassian haven’t really got their pro careers properly warmed up yet.”
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Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., was in Winnipeg on the weekend and Arctic Ice Hockey was able to get an interview. Perhaps the battle between College Hockey Inc. and the CHL is heating up again. That complete interview is right here.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Dale Hunt (Prince George, Everett, 2005-10) was released by Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). . . .
F Richard Mueller (Brandon, Saskatoon, Calgary, 1998-2003) signed a two-week tryout contract with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). He had three goals and one assist in 18 games for Ingolstadt (Germany, DEL) and five goals and five assists in 15 games for Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) last season. . . .
F Mikhail Fisenko (Vancouver, Calgary, 2008-11) signed a one-year contract with Metallurg Novokuznetsk (Russia, KHL). He had eight goals and 32 assists in 64 games for the Hitmen last season.
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While a funeral mass for the late Brad McCrimmon will be held Saturday in Farmington, Mich., there also will be a memorial service held in Saskatoon. It is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 25, at Knox United Church, 838 Spadina Crescent East.
The service is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., with a reception from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel, 612 Spadina Crescent East.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Emanuel Viveiros (Prince Albert, 1982-86) is the new head coach of Austrian national team. He has signed a three-year contract. . . . Viveiros, 45, played in Europe for 17 years, 13 of them in Austria. . . . An Austrian citizen, he has spent two years as an assistant coach under Bill Gilligan, whom he is sucdeeding. Viveiros will continue as head coach of Klagenfurt. . . . Viveiros has two hockey-playing sons — Landan, 17, played on Austria’s U-18 team last season; Layne, 16, just transferred from Klagenfurt to the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Rob Daum, who has coached with the Prince Albert Raiders, Swift Current Broncos and Lethbridge Hurricanes, signed on as an assistant coach. . . . Daum, a long-time coach at the U of Alberta, also has coached in the AHL and NHL. He is in his first season as head coach of Black Wings Linz, an Austrian club team.
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The Winterhawks are more than pleased with Layne Viveiros, a defenceman who was a ninth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. He was born in Edmonton.
“He turned out to be way better than we thought he would be,” Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston told Jason Vondersmith of the Portland Tribune. “Very smart, puck-moving defenseman. Good intelligence and hockey sense.”
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JUST NOTES: There is word out of the Tacoma area that there is interest in seeing whether it’s viable to have NHL and/or NBA franchises in the city. King 5 News has reported that Tacoma city council will cough up $100,000 for a study to see what the cost would be to renovate the Tacoma Dome and to gauge public support. Tacoma, of course, once was home to the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Saskatoon Blades are down to two goaltenders after assigning Adam Todd, 17, to the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. That leaves the Blades with veteran Adam Morrison, 20, and Russian freshman Andrey Makarov, 18, who was picked up in the 2011 CHL import draft. . . . The Blades are down to 25 players, including six defenceman and 17 forwards. Of that number, seven are at NHL camps. . . . The Kamloops Blazers have assigned F Devin Oakes, 16, to the Pursuit of Excellence midget AAA prep team in Kelowna. Oakes, a list player, had 24 points in 41 games with the PoE midget AAA team last season.
F Mark Stone, 19, and D Jordan Fransoo, 18, of the Brandon Wheat Kings have made the move to the Ottawa Senators’ main camp after playing for the rookie team in a tournament in Oshawa, Ont. . . . F Ryan Johansen and F Oliver Gabriel, teammates with the Portland Winterhawks, each had a goal Wednesday as the Columbus Blue Jackets rookie team dropped a 4-3 OT decision to the St. Louis Blues in the Traverse City, Mich., tournament. . . . Johansen put up six points, including three goals, and was plus-7 in the tournament, while Gabriel had four points, two of them goals, and was plus-4. . . . The Swift Current Broncos have assigned F Ryan Bloom, 18, to the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons. Acquired from the Kootenay Ice in the deal for F Cody Eakin in January, Bloom had two points in 29 games split between the Broncos and Ice last season. The Broncos also signed F Jordan Wittman, the 46th overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft, and assigned F Denis Bosc, the 121st selection in the 2010 draft, to the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons. Bosc has signed with the Broncos. . . .
The Moose Jaw Warriors have claimed G Deven Dubyk, 20, off waivers from the Medicine Hat Tigers. After being dropped by the Tigers last week, Dubyk joined the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos, who are the host team for the 2012 RBC Cup. An 11th-round pick by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2006 bantam draft, Dubyk actually got into 35 games with the Warriors in 2008-09. He was 7-15-1, 4.57, .866. Last season, he went 11-5, 2.89, .908 while backing up Tyler Bunz in Medicine Hat. . . . The Warriors also have two other goaltenders — Brandon Stone, 18, and Spencer Tremblay, 17. Should Dubyk join them, they also will have five 20-year-olds, the others being F Brett Lyon, F Jesse Paradis, F Sebastian Svendsen and D Collin Bowman. . . . The deadline for WHL teams to get down to a maximum of three 20-year-olds is Oct. 13. . . .
F Parker Stanfield, who completed his junior eligibility last season with the Everett Silvertips, has signed with the ECHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Stanfield, who is from Anaheim Hills, Calif., had 34 points in 64 games last season, the first four games and four points with the Prince George Cougars, the rest in Everett. He played three seasons (2007-11) with Prince George. . . . According to the Fredericton Daily Gleaner, F Taylor Procyshen (Tri-City, 2004-09) won’t be back with the U of New Brunswick Varsity Reds “due to concussion-related issues.” The Varsity Reds are the reigning champions in Canadian university hockey. . . . F Jeff Topilko, who had 54 points in 66 games as a 20-year-old with the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2006-07, has signed with the ECHL’s Pensacola Ice Flyers. After graduating from the Wheat Kings, Topilko went on to attend NAIT in Edmonton. . . .
Dave Trimmer of the Spokane Spokesman-Review reports that the Chiefs still have four freshman forwards in camp and one of them is Liam Stewart, the 17-year-old son of actress Rachel Hunter and rocker Rod Stewart. . . . F Travis Ewanyk of the Edmonton Oil Kings didn’t make the trip to Penticton with the Edmonton Oilers’ rookie team. And now we know why. Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal tells Corey Graham, the radio voice of the Oil Kings who also does TEAM 1260’s Sports Night Live, that Ewanyk “may have to have surgery and if he does he may be lost to us for a 4-to-5 month range, depending on rehab." It has been speculated that Ewanyk has a shoulder injury. Ewanyk was a third-round pick by the Oilers in the NHL’s 2011 draft. . . . F Spencer Edwards, who spent the last two seasons with the Moose Jaw Warrors, has signed with the Central league’s Allen Americans. He will start the season by going to training camp with the AHL’s Texas Stars. Edwards had 66 points with the Warriors last season when he won the Canadian Hockey League’s humanitarian-of-the-year award.
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Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun has written a piece on Vancouver Giants assistant coach Glen Hanlon.
Pap asked Hanlon about the biggest difference between professional and junior players and here is the response:
“Passing skills. I mean, they can stand still and make a pass but being able to receive a pass and give a pass at full speed, the completion rate through your whole group, top to bottom, is not as high as a team of professionals. The skating speed of the players is actually not that much different, it’s the ability to make and receive a pass.”
Pap’s complete story is right here.
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The mask of former WHL goaltender Josh Harding (Regina, Brandon, 2001-04) will remember the late Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Pavol Demitra, all former teammates. For a look, click right here.
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Sean Gordon of The Globe and Mail has a piece right here that includes Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty’s thoughts on the ongoing headshot/concussion debate in hockey.
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Today’s good read – and it’s a great one – comes from Chris Jones (again), who wrote a piece on hockey enforcers for the website Grantland. Jones chatted with Stu Grimson, who was known as The Grim Reaper during his playing days. You don’t want to miss this one right here.

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